The Tales of Azaluna
by Rasaxe
Summary: In the lands of Azaluna are four adventures searching for a legendary treasure. After killing hordes of undead and survive dangerous traps, they are trapped with a dreadful beast. Will they forever lay on the floors of these catacombs or will an unexpected hero save them at the final moment? Follow Luffy and Co. on their fantasy AU adventures in the worlds of Azaluna. Discontinued
1. Finding the Treasure

Walking through the corridors of a dark catacomb under the rugged mountains of White Aeons, was a group of four adventures. They had ventured through a horde of undead, survived several devious traps and saved the group's Thief from a 'Big Bad' spider.

The Ranger stood all the way at the back of the group, franticly looking around like he expected to be jumped any minute now. He wore a green cloak with a hood, a brown leather tunic, a bandolier, a pair of green cloth pants and a pair of brown leather boots. On his back were a red bow and a quiver full of arrows. Strapped to his side were twin daggers with blue hilts. His long nose was pointed in a different direction every second as he said "Are you sure we won't be attacked by some undead walking here? I can almost say with certainty that one of the skulls looked funny at me"

"Shut up Usopp! Don't say stupid things like that!" said the group's Thief walking in front of him. She had orange hair and brown eyes. She wore a wool tunic with some leather patches here and there, brown leather greaves and matching boots. Around her torso she wore a bandolier with throwing knifes and strapped to each thigh was a knife with a red hilt. She looked at Usopp angrily when the man in front of her shouted "Be quiet Nami! And Usopp! Shut up!"

It was the group's Warrior. He was an average size man yet the tallest of the group. He had green hair, a scar which ran from right shoulder to left hip on his torso and a permanent scowl on his face. He was shirtless with a leather shoulder-plate on his left shoulder, he wore a pair of mail greaves and a pair of leather boots. Strapped to his hip was a sword with a white hilt.

"Zoro! Don't be like that! And Usopp! Where did you see that skull!? It would be awesome for it to join our group!" said the Fighter in front with a grin. He had short wild raven hair and a small scar under his left eye. He were shirtless, wore big leather shorts and sandals. He wore iron-plated leather gloves and a straw hat.

"Shut up Luffy! Even if it were true, then it would be the third monster you have asked to join us today!" said Zoro.

"But, the last one was awesome!" defended Luffy.

"It was an undead squirrel! If you had actually caught that thing then I would have been too afraid to sleep at night!" yelled Nami.

"Yeah, me too!" agreed Usopp.

Luffy began pouting and the group continued on. After walking for some time, they entered a dark chamber where it was high to the celling. The room's walls were made out of humanoid skulls that looked at the center of the chamber and the floor was littered with bones. The far wall of the chamber was of stone with different carvings engraved. In the middle of the chamber was a sarcophagus.

The group had different reactions to the room. Usopp was just about to pass out. Nami eyes went pale. Zoro yawned and Luffy shouted "Awesome!"

"No Luffy! Not awesome!" screamed Nami. "Just think of all the poor people who were slaughtered to make this!"

Luffy looked like he were thinking for a minute before roaring "I am going to kill those who made this place!"

"They are already dead, you idiot!" shouted Nami. "This place was made by the tyrants of the 'Dark Age' which was over a thousand years ago"

"Yeah… why did we go in here again?" asked Usopp.

"Rumors have it that there exists a legendary treasure in these catacombs, left by the Dark God himself" answered Nami.

"Oh yeah… I hope it is a bow that can shoot a thousand miles, so I don't have to be anywhere close to the enemy…" said Usopp.

"I hope it's a great new sword" said Zoro.

"I just hope I can sell it for a lot!" said Nami with eyes of gold coins.

"I hope it's a piece of meat that never disappears, no matter how much you eat!" said Luffy. The others just looked at him blankly before turning to the sarcophagus and saying "Idiot…"

The four of them walked up to the sarcophagus and the boys began to push the stone cover while Nami told them how much she would kill them if they destroyed the treasure. They had finally got the cover off, looked into the sarcophagus and were shocked. The sarcophagus was not filled with gold and jewel, but in it laid a mummy with long grey hair that went to its feet, empty eye sockets and an open mouth. It wore simple rags and a black ring on its right hand. In its hands was a claymore, rusted into uselessness.

"That's it?" asked Luffy disappointed.

"I guess so. Zoro? Can you use the sword?" asked Usopp.

"Nah… even if it were in perfect condition, I wouldn't use it"

"Why not?" asked Luffy.

"Because it's a two-hand weapon. I only use one-hand weapons"

"Ohh"

"All of that doesn't matter! Look!" said Nami as she pointed at the black ring.

"What is it?" asked Luffy.

"Look at the ring!"

Luffy looked and a seal of a dragon with its tail coiled around the world was on the ring.

"It's a dragon, so?" asked Luffy.

"It isn't any old dragon Luffy! It's the seal of the World Breaker! The harbinger of the Dark God himself!"

Usopp jumped away from the sarcophagus and screamed "The World Breaker! The King of Tyrants! Emperor of Darkness! Swallower of the Sun!"

"Yeah! He must have been in the court of the World Breaker before his death!" said Nami. "Zoro! Take that ring! Getting it to the right hands is worth a fortune!"

Zoro grumbled something about evil witch and grabbed the ring. He tried to take it off but it wouldn't budge. He tried force it off but still wouldn't budge. He then tried breaking the finger off but it felt like he was trying to break a tree of pure steel.

"That's it! I am going to cut this bastard into pieces!" roared Zoro as he drew his sword. He was just about to slash out when Luffy put a hand on his shoulder and said "Stop"

"Why should I?" asked Zoro with a glare.

"Because he doesn't deserve it"

"What! Luffy, he was an officer of the World Breaker! He tried to destroy the world!" said Nami but Luffy just looked at her and said "And? Look around you. He wouldn't have been given this grave if he were just someone who wanted to destroy the world. This man wasn't a politician or a high mage. This man was a warrior and an honored one at that"

"How can you say that?" asked Nami.

"The skulls around us… They are probably from fallen enemies and all of them are looking at him. That means he was who the enemy looked after on the battlefield and who they didn't want to meet" said Luffy as he looked around.

"Luffy! This man was a murderer! A demon! A monster! Millions of lives might have been lost to this beast's fangs!" yelled Nami.

"Maybe, but when I stand here I can't stop feeling that there was more to it"

"What!?"

"Look at them. They don't look like they regret falling to his hand. They look like they were glad they had a chance to fight with him at least once"

"That doesn't make any sense!" shouted Nami, but to Zoro it did make a weird kind sense. He sheathed his sword and began walking towards the exit.

"Zoro!?" said Nami.

"He has probably had a tough life. Let's give him some rest in his afterlife" said Zoro to Nami's dismay.

"Not you to!" shouted Nami.

Nami gave up and began to follow Zoro, while saying something about how this tomb raiding was for nothing. Usopp also began to walk to the exit and Luffy was about to follow when he heard…

"Water….."

Luffy turned his head towards the sarcophagus and said "Huh?"

Zoro and Nami had already made it out of the chamber and Usopp was just about to, when he turned around to look where Luffy was. Luffy stood over at the sarcophagus and did something with his water skin-sack. Usopp called out to him "Luffy…? What are you doing?" before walking towards him. Zoro and Nami looked back and re-entered the chamber. When Usopp reached Luffy, saw he that Luffy was pouring water into the mummy's mouth.

"What are you doing?" asked Usopp confused.

"Giving him some water. He was thirsty" answered Luffy.

"Well I would be to if I hadn't drunk anything in the last thousand years, but Luffy. He is dead. He won't need water"

Luffy stopped pouring water into the mummy's mouth and looked at Usopp with confusion.

"Then why was he asking for it?" asked Luffy.

"What are you talking about?" asked Nami as she and Zoro approached them.

"The mummy. It asked for water" answered Luffy.

"Luffy. Are you sure it wasn't your imagination?" asked Usopp, a little scared.

"Maybe… well doesn't matter. If he was thirsty, then he got his water" said Luffy nonchalant.

Luffy took a step away from the sarcophagus and stepped on a stone. **Click!** The stone sank down and the entrance to the chamber was blocked by a giant rock.

"Luffy! Did you just do that!?" roared Nami.

"Ups…" was all Luffy got to say when Nami leapt at him and began to beat him up. While that happened, Zoro and Usopp walked up to the rock. Usopp inspected it and asked "Zoro. Can you cut this?"

Zoro unsheathed his sword and stabbed the rock. Like cutting butter the blade went through and Zoro said "Yes and no"

"What do you mean?" asked Usopp.

"I can cut it easily but my sword isn't long enough to cut through"

"Could you then make a hole?"

Zoro carved out a hole and sheathed his sword again. Usopp searched his bandolier and took out some kind of stick.

"What is that?" asked Zoro.

"Dynamite. We can use this to blow up the rock"

Suddenly another **click** could be heard and everybody froze up.

"What did you do Luffy?" asked Nami threatening.

"Nothing! I was too busy being beaten up by you!" defended Luffy.

"G-Guys! I don't think it is time to fight among ourselves!" said Usopp as he pointed at the far wall. Everyone looked at the wall and saw it rising.

"It's a gate?" asked Luffy confused.

"And a big one at that. Why would they close the entrance just to open another way?" asked Nami.

"Because… it's not to let us out… It's to let something in…!" said Zoro as he reached for his sword.

Zoro was right. As soon as the gate opened completely, sounded a demonic roar! Out of the shadows stepped a giant monster. It was reptilian-like with its body slithering on the ground. It had two arms that it used to drag it self across the stone floor and its blunt head was mounted on a neck that reached from the floor to the celling. It was eyeless and covered in a thick red shell that was spread across the entire body except the underside of its long neck and its arms. Its long whip-like tail moved from side to side as the beast appeared to look around.

Usopp's mouth fell to the ground. Nami covered her mouth with her hands as her eyes went pale in fear. Zoro began to sweat lightly and Luffy got up and looked serious.

The monster stopped moving its head when it was facing Luffy and bared its fangs. When it opened its mouth, Luffy could see several rows of fangs, ready to rip them all to shreds. The monster pulled its head slightly back before launching it towards Luffy at staggering speed. Luffy dodged by a hair as the monsters fangs collided with the floor. The fangs gouged out a big chunk of the solid rock floor with ease and didn't appear harmed at all. It turned to Luffy and continued its attacks. Luffy dodged every attempted but always by a hair. Zoro charged the beast's outstretched neck and swung down. **Clunk!** No effect as the shell was like steel, maybe even harder. The monster's tail whipped out and sent Zoro flying into the wall, shattering the skulls of the wall. When Zoro fell to ground, a rib bone lodged into his side, forcing him to scream out in pain as the blood poured. The beast quickly turned its head towards Zoro and launched itself at him. It was just about to reach Zoro when Luffy stretched out his arms and grabbed a hold of the monster's head, stopping it in its tracks. Luffy jumped high into the air and smashed into the monsters head with such force that the shell on its head cracked open, revealing the pale blue eyes underneath. Zoro grabbed the bone stuck in his side and pulled it out, causing his blood to spurt out.

While that happened Usopp and Nami hid in the farthest corner from the fight and worked on a plan.

"What are we going to do!? Luffy and Zoro can't take down that beast and we can't either!" screamed Nami.

"I… I got a plan" said Usopp and Nami turned to him.

"Really!?"

"But I need your help"

"Anything! I don't want to die as a monsters dinner!"

"Distract it" said Usopp, looking at the floor.

"WHAT!" screamed Nami.

"Catch its attention and I will do the rest"

"O-Ok… I will do so!" said Nami as she turned around and ran towards the fight. Usopp looked as Nami ran before taking out the dynamite stick and an arrow, thinking "_Sorry everyone…_"

As Nami ran as fast as she could, she took a throwing knife. When she was in range she stopped and readied to throw the knife.

"Steady…" she said as she aimed.

The beast swung its neck with such force that Luffy was sent colliding into the wall. Luffy got stuck there and the monster used this opportunity to ram its head into Luffy, destroying a big part of the wall.

"St-Steady…" said Nami as she concentrated on her aim.

Zoro leapt at the beast with all his might but out of nowhere came the monster's tail, smashing Zoro into the other wall and pinned him down.

"Ste-Steady…!" said Nami as a tear rolled down her cheek.

The monster, which was looking at Zoro, turned its attention to Luffy again and opened its mouth wide. Luffy looked on as the fangs got closer and closer and were almost vibrating with excitement of shredding him to bits.

"UUWWWAAAA!" cried Nami as she threw the knife, completely ignoring her aim. The knife flew as fast as it could towards the monster, which got closer and closer to Luffy. **Thwack!** The knife hit one of the beast's pale blue eyes and it threw its head to the side. The monster then raised its head high and made an inhuman cry of pain.

"Yes!" screamed Nami with so much happiness, but it was short-lived as the beast turned its head towards her and made a roar of anger. Nami, almost paralyzed by fear, began to stumble backwards before turning around to run as fast as she could. The beast launched its head towards her and Luffy screamed "NAMI!"

The monster was about to reach Nami, when Usopp pushed her out of the way with the bow at the ready, aiming at the beast. Attached to the arrow was a lit dynamite stick.

"Take this! **Dynamite Shot!**" shouted Usopp as the arrow went flying. It flew into the beast's mouth, hit its uvula and as the monster was just about to dig its fangs into Usopp, its head exploded. The explosion sent Usopp flying into the nearest wall with one of the monster's fangs lodged into his shoulder and one in his hip. As the tail went limp, Zoro fell to the ground and when he landed, ran he to Luffy's aid. Nami ran as fast as she could to reach Usopp's side and cried "Usopp!"

"Hey Nami… are you ok…?" asked Usopp with a smile.

"Am I ok! Are you ok!?" cried Nami as tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I am fine… it's not like it went as I thought it would…"

"…went as you thou— you were sacrificing yourself!" shouted Nami realizing.

"I had no other choice… It was the only thing I could think of…" said Usopp as he coughed up some blood.

"Idiot… idiot…!" began Nami. "IDIOT!"

Zoro and Luffy joined them and Luffy began to comforting a crying but happy Nami.

"Hey…" said Zoro.

"Hey…" came from Usopp.

"Well… who would have thought that you, of all people, would be the one to kill that thing? Scary" said Zoro with a smirk.

"Yeah, maybe you have also gotten a good sense of direction while we are at it. Now that would be scary" joked Usopp.

"Shut up…" said Zoro with a glare and Usopp snickered. He then turned his eyes to his kill with pride, but pride was soon replaced with fear and disbelief as the monsters body began to move once again.

"No way…" said Usopp and the rest turned to look. The body was still moving and the neck swung around like crazy. Zoro looked frighten, Nami looked terrified, Luffy looked in disbelief and Usopp was sobbing.

"It can't be…" said Nami.

The beast's neck split down the middle and bulbs grew where the heads would be.

"But it is…" said Zoro.

The bulbs burst open, revealing two fresh grown heads, covered with a new shell.

"A HYDRA!" yelled Luffy.

"Dammit! Damn it all!" cried Usopp.

The hydra looked at them and somehow made them feel like it was glaring at Nami. It then launched its heads towards them. Luffy leapt at it with an outstretch arm but its new head slammed Luffy into the wall again and pinned him down. Zoro raised his sword and charged the hydra but was taking by surprise when its tail wrapped around his ankle and swung him from wall to wall. The remaining head were heading straight towards Nami with mouth agape. Nami fell down on her bottom and couldn't move, paralyzed with fear.

"Nami…! Run…!" begged Usopp.

Meanwhile inside the sarcophagus twitched one of the mummy's fingers.

The beast got slowly closer and Luffy yelled "Nami!"

The mummy took a firm grip on the sword's hilt.

The hydra was now close enough for Nami to smell its breath. It opened its mouth wide and revealed its many rows of teeth. Before taking a bite, the hydra let its long snake-like tongue take a lick and as it did snapped Nami back to reality and screamed "SAVE ME!"

**SLASH!**

In the blink of an eye was the hydra's head cut down the middle, from head to the start of the neck. Nami saw a tall figure standing in front of her with long gray hair and a rusted claymore in its right hand.

"N-No way…!" said Nami.

"Are you alright, Milady?" asked the Mummy with a raspy voice.

* * *

**Hi everyone.**

**This new story will feature a lot of different creatures like the hydra in this chapter. I thought about making a Bio of the creatures and by that I mean I will give you a description of the beast, write its length and height, preferred hunting methods and hunting grounds and write a little myth about the creature and of course write its species. I will also give them a BL which means Battle Level which is to give you an idea of how strong the different creatures are. This is inspired by two things. The Level of enemies in games like World of Warcraft and by the Capture Level from the manga Toriko.**

**I will also sometimes ask you readers for creatures, so if you have some ideas, work on them and maybe they will appear in future chapters. But I have to ask you to refrain from sending them in a review since it might spoil the surprise of the creature. I am in no need for any ideas at the moment but I will write it in the author's notes when I need all of you wonderful ideas.**

**Please leave a review to tell me what you think and if you have a question send me a PM. Hope you enjoy The Tales of Azaluna.**


	2. Strenght of the Dead

Everyone looked at the now risen mummy in disbelief.

Usopp's eyes were wide and mouth agape as he thought "_S-So fast… What's with his speed? It was like a flash of lightning. Too fast to react to but slow enough to get a feel of what was happening_"

Zoro hanged at the end of the hydra's tail with a look of total disbelief and thought "_I-Impossible! He cut that giant beast down the middle with a rusty sword! What kind of blade can do that!? No, more importantly! What kind of muscles do you need to even try to attempt that!?_"

Luffy were still pinned to the wall but he didn't struggle so much, since his eyes had turned to stars and he thought "_AMAZING!_"

Nami just looked at her unexpected savior and didn't know what to say, till the mummy glanced at her and said "Milady?"

"Huh? Yeah, I am fine!" said Nami as she slowly got up on her feet.

"Good" said the mummy, somehow giving of the feeling of he were smiling.

The hydra removed its head from pinning Luffy, giving him the chance to get down and get to Nami's side, and looked at the new opponent. It then raised its split head and ripped the halves off. Out of the main body sprouted two new heads, ready to attack. The hydra raised its tail high into the air and swung it down with all its might to kill Zoro, but…

Zoro didn't know what happened. One moment, he were on his way to be smashed against the solid stone floor, the next, was he under the arm of the mummy. The other didn't even see the mummy move out of place.

"Can you stand, lad?" asked the mummy and Zoro snapped back to reality.

"Y-Yeah…" said Zoro as he was put down on the ground. Zoro then noticed that the tip of the Hydra's tail was still wrapped around his ankle. He shook it off and looked at the mummy as it said "Now… stand back"

"What! No way! I will fight to!" shouted Luffy.

"Please milord. It's for you own safety"

"Why? With you we should be able to take it down without getting hurt"

"It isn't safety from the beast, but its safety from me" said the mummy as the darkness in the room somehow intensified. Luffy though were oblivious to this and were just about protest when Nami quickly grabbed him by the neck and yelled "Don't!"

The mummy took a couple of steps forward before looking up at the hydra. It looked pissed to say the least. Its three heads glared at him with hate and fear. The mummy then raised his rusty sword high into the air and swung it down with force, but… nothing happened.

"Hmm… it weren't like that…" said the mummy and swung the sword again. Nothing happened again and the mummy continued to swing around. Zoro, Nami and Usopp looked at the mummy like he was an idiot.

"What… is he doing?" asked Usopp.

"I…I don't know" said Nami.

"Could that before just have been a fluke?" asked Zoro.

Luffy looked on with an unbreakable stare as he thought "_There is more to this_"

The hydra was getting more and more pissed off as this opponent looked only to fool around.

The mummy had swung his sword around like he didn't know what he was doing for some time now. He then turned his attention to the blade in his hand and said "Not like that either…"

That was it! The hydra launched all three heads at him with even more speed than before. Nami noticed this and screamed "Look out!" making the mummy glance at the hydra.

"**RRAU!***" howled the mummy and as the word slipped his tongue, a powerful shockwave filled the room, shattering all the skulls in the walls, turning all the bones on the ground to dust, forcing Luffy, Zoro and Nami to fall down and stopping the hydra's three heads in its tracks. The hydra was sweating lightly as it were paralyzed by the dangers that howl foretold. Nami, Zoro and Luffy were in a similar state as they just looked in fear at the mummy.

"Ah… I got it now" said the mummy and he raised his right hand, holding his blade, and placed it over his left shoulder. The muscles in his right bicep bulged up to twice their original size and the mummy swung his blade with such force that a wind was created and a breeze filled the room.

Nothing happened at first, but then the hydra's heads exploded into large pools of blood and the explosions continued all the way down the necks. The blood splattered all around, yet not a drop landed near Luffy or the others since the mummy sliced every drop that flew their direction with lightning fast precise slashes.

Luffy and the others looked in fear and awe as the mummy turned around and walked towards them. When he stood in front of Luffy, held he an hand out and said "Thanks for the water, milord"

Luffy realized what he meant and showed of a giant grin as he took the mummy's hand and got up. He then said "Oh yeah, why were you cutting the blood?"

"A hydra's blood is poisonous on contact and I couldn't have you, milord, die" answered the mummy.

"How did you make its heads explode like that?" asked Zoro as he got up.

"Simple, I just cut every cell it had in its heads and necks" said the mummy. "But, more on that later, I have a fight to finish"

The mummy turned around towards the hydra and as he did, the hydra sprouted six new heads out of its main body and roared loudly. It then looked at the mummy and hissed at him before launching one of its heads at him. He easily blocked the assault and decapitated it before jumping high into the air. The hydra sent two more heads towards him, but they exploded into pools of blood again. Luffy quickly realized that some of the blood was coming towards them and acted quickly. He dug his hands into the ground and ripped a big piece of stone up that he used to shield himself and the others with. As the mummy fell towards the ground, launched the hydra the remaining heads at him, but every time they got close were they decapitated by the swift slashes from the mummy. When he landed, crashed the decapitated heads of the hydra against the floor and the mummy stabbed his sword into the floor. He began to mumble something and he pointed a hand towards the hydra. Meanwhile the hydra sprouted 12 new heads that were already headed towards the mummy at full speed and were just about to reach when…

"**GIJAK MAJ!***" roared the mummy and all the blood in the room gathered under the hydra's main body and shoot up, creating a giant crimson pillar that impaled the hydra and continued through the ceiling to the top of the mountain. The hydra howled its death shriek before falling completely limb. The pillar rose from the ground and disappeared into the hole it had made in the ceiling.

The mummy turned to Luffy, who were still holding up his makeshift shield, and walked up to him.

"The danger is over. You can lower your shield now" said the mummy and Luffy threw the rock away with a goofy grin.

"Wow, you're strong!" said Luffy loudly and then turned to the others and said "Don't you think so to?" with a grin.

"Y-Yeah…" said Nami, unsure of the mummy.

"I have to agree with you on this" said Zoro, ready to strike if the mummy would attack.

"What about you Usopp?" asked Luffy, but he didn't answer.

"Right Usopp?" asked Luffy again but still no answer.

"Usopp?" said Luffy as he walked up to Usopp and raised his hood to get a good look at his face. Usopp eyes were completely pale and he was foaming around at the mouth. Luffy leapt back and shouted "USOPP!"

"What's wrong with him!" screamed Nami.

"Oyi, Usopp! Wake up!" yelled Zoro.

"Wake up!" shouted Luffy as he grabbed Usopp and began to shake him.

"Knock that off, Luffy!" yelled Nami as she and Zoro grabbed a hold of him and pulled him away.

Luffy, Zoro and Nami didn't know what to do and was on the verge of panic when the mummy said "AHEM!"

Luffy and the others turned their attention to him as he asked "Do you have any vials?"

"Vials? Y-Yeah, we got a few…" said Nami.

"Good. Milord. Lad. You two get the teeth out of your friend while the lady and I try to get something"

Luffy and Zoro lighted up with hope and began remove the teeth stuck as the mummy and Nami walked up to the hydras body. When they stood next to the corpse grabbed the mummy the shell and tore a big piece off and threw it away. He then dug his hands into the hydra's flesh and ripped it open. Nami almost fainted at the sight of the corpse's innards and looked away. The mummy ripped flesh and organs out for a while before saying "Here it is" and gently eased something out. It was a purple bubble that was almost too big for the mummy to have in his hands.

"Knife" said the mummy and Nami gave him a knife. He sliced a small cut on the bubble, barely touching its surface, and gave the knife back before saying "Vials"

Nami took out three vials and the mummy gestured to the floor. Nami put them in a row on the floor and the mummy held the bubble over the first. He pressed the bubble lightly and a small stream of purple ooze poured out into the vial. When the vial was full, grabbed the mummy it and handed it to Nami.

"Make sure he drinks it all" said the mummy and Nami nodded as she grabbed the vial and ran back to Usopp.

It was bad. Usopp had gone into spasms and were held down by Zoro and Luffy. Nami held his head still as she forced the ooze down his throat. After a little while calmed he down and they stopped holding him down. Then he sprang up and ran to the nearest corner. Nami, Luffy and Zoro looked on wondering till they heard the sound of Usopp puking. They were happy, incredible disgusted but happy that Usopp would make it. Usopp soon joined them, while looking a little sick and holding to his stomach, and Nami and Luffy hugged him and Zoro smirked on the sideline. The mummy then approached them with a vial in each hand and handed them to Nami.

"Thank you for saving Usopp's life…" said Nami as she took the vials. "…but how come you knew that the hydra had the antidote inside its body?"

"That wasn't an antidote" said the mummy and everyone looked at him funny.

"Then…Then what was it?" asked Usopp a little scared of the answer.

"A poison…" answered the mummy and everybody went pale. Usopp and Luffy ran around screaming their lungs out, Nami almost dropped the vials in her hands and Zoro drew his blade and charged the mummy. Zoro's blade fell but the mummy was already behind him and Zoro turned and struck out when the mummy caught the blade with one hand and said "…but there is nothing to fear"

Everybody stopped moving, looked stupidly at the mummy and yelled "EHH!?"

"This poison was created to counter the poison of other hydras, but have a surprising effect on the beast own poison as well"

"So you used poison to kill the poison in Usopp's body!" said Nami and the mummy nodded.

"That's like fight fire with fire!" said Zoro.

"You are right. If the poison were weaker than the one we tried to kill, the patient would still die, but would it be stronger, it would kill them faster" said the mummy.

Usopp began to shake at the thought of dying by the cure. Luffy looked thoughtful and asked "But doesn't that mean that this poison can be countered just as easily?"

Usopp, Zoro and Nami looked in shock at Luffy since they weren't used for him coming with smart questions.

"Hahahahaha, seems like you are a smart one, milord" grinned the mummy.

"Nononononononnononono…" said Zoro, Nami and Usopp disagreeing.

"Hey!" yelled Luffy angry.

Luffy scowled a bit but quickly turned to a smile when he walked up to the mummy and asked "That aside, will you join our group?"

"LUFFY!" yelled Nami and Usopp as Zoro scowled.

"Ha! Maybe in the next life" said the mummy with a grin.

"Ohh, but that's long off!" said Luffy pouting.

"No it's fairly close…" said the mummy and darkness poured out of him. The darkness then gathered around him and formed a cocoon that covert him completely. Luffy quickly began to punch the cocoon and after some time came a crack. The cocoon shattered and a pair of pitch-black wings spread. A young man in a fetus-position with dark wings emerged out of the cocoon. His hair raven hair was just as long as the mummy's and he were of the same height. He fell to the ground almost floating and when he laid down, disappeared his black wings into the dark. Luffy and the others snapped back to reality and gathered around the young man.

"Who-Who's this?" asked Usopp confused.

Luffy looked around and asked "Where did the mummy go?"

"I think this is the mummy. What do you think Nami?" asked Zoro as he turned his head towards Nami. Nami's face was completely red as she looked at the young man on the ground. She then asked "Usopp? Could you hand me your cloak?"

"Huh? Sure but, why?" said Usopp as he removed his quiver and began to untie the cloak.

"Because he is NAKED!" shouted Nami and the boys looked again and sure enough, he was in his birthday suit.

"Your right. I didn't even notice that" said Luffy.

"And? It's not like it matters" said Zoro.

"Of course it matters! Do you know how cold it is in here!?" yelled Usopp as he handed Nami his cloak.

"Idiots…" said Nami as she covered the young man. She then turned to Zoro and said "Zoro! You carry him!"

"What! Why me!?" asked Zoro.

"Because you are a lazy bastard and if this is the mummy then we owe him our life!" answered Nami. Zoro just grumbled something in responds and pulled the young man up on his back. When Zoro did so, Nami noticed something and said "Wait Zoro!"

"What now witch?" asked Zoro and Nami ignored him and pulled a bit in the cloak to look at young man. A tattoo of ten swords crossing at the middle of a circle was on the back of his neck and this struck Nami as odd.

"This tattoo…" said Nami before being quiet a while and saying "…I have seen it before…"

"Listen up!" said Zoro. "I have a naked guy, who is taller than me, on my back so please, can we go!?"

Nami looked at Zoro and nodded. The group left the tomb through the gate the hydra came from, leaving behind the hydra's corpse and the rusty sword.

* * *

**Hi everyone. Not the greatest chapter but I had to show the mummy's strength somehow. Luffy and company will also reach that level someday (Well, the Monster Trio will surely) but that's for future chapters.**

**About those bios I wrote about last chapter. I didn't really get so many views for the first chapter so I will make this a pilot-chapter for the bios and I want your honest opinions. If you hate it, then write that. If you love it, then write that. If you don't want your opinion about this public then send me a PM.**

* * *

**Name: **Crimson Hydra.

**Species: **Reptile Beast.

**BL: **Around 54.

**Size: **Overall Length: 20 Meters. Neck Length: 8 Meters. Main Body Length: 4 Meters. Tail Length: 8 Meters.

**Weight: **With only one head: 900 KG. Neck and Head: 400 KG.

**Bio: **Like all hydras, this creature has its brain and nerve center inside its main body instead of its head and like all hydras, it owns the quality of converting mana into a high-speed regeneration process that creates an extra head per head removed. What is unique about this beast is that it has developed a shell that covered most of its body. This shell has the density of titanium and is used to make all kinds of gear and equipment like pickaxes and armor. It also has a deep shade of red that gave this hydra its name. Because that the shell covers its eyes has they deteriorated over the generations to the point that it's completely blind. Because of this, it relies on its pit organs to see its prey, making it more dangerous in the dark. The Crimson Hydra has developed a powerful poison that can kill a full grown man in less than 15 minutes. To counter any poison from rivals or other predators have it developed a poison that I meant to kill an equally strong poison. There are cases with Crimsons Hydras where they release this poison when only mildly poisoned and end up killing themselves.

**Myth: **It is said that the blood of its victims doesn't go to its stomach but is transferred into its shell to strengthen it and give it is red color.

* * *

**Next is the mummy.**

**Name:** Unknown

**Species:** Believed Undead

**BL:** Unknown

**Size:** Height: 2 Meters

**Weight:** Unknown

**Bio:** Unknown

**Myth:** Unknown

* * *

**The * section**

"**RRAU!" is Black Speech and means Sit.**

"**GIJAK MAJ!" means Blood Pike and is also Black Speech.**

**Black Speech is a fantasy language created by J.R.R. Tolkien for the LOTR books. **

**Next time I will tell you more about the world of Azaluna and give you a bio over Luffy and Co.**

**Leave a review and if you have a question, then send me a PM.**


	3. Ye Olde Fighting Rosters

The young man woke up under a great tree at the edge of a grand forest. Its shadow was calming like a mother's arms and the cold air was gentle like the sun's rays. His long black hair felt the wind and his crimson eyes could see a vast meadow, making his entire being feel like it was in heaven, but… he didn't like the fact that a giant goat was just about to lick his face.

"WAAAAAAAAA!" screamed the young man and the goat was frightened and took a couple of steps back before balking and would have stomped him if it weren't for…

"Merry! Take it easy!" yelled a guy with a long nose as he came running and grabbed the goat's reigns.

"Easy, easy girl. Oh, you are awake. Guys! He is awake!" yelled the guy as he waved to someone else. The young man looked over and saw a camp by a wagon not long from him. Two men got up and walked towards them. One of them had a giant smile on his face and a straw hat on. The other had green hair and a scar across his torso. The green haired one had a bag under his arm and a somewhat forced scowl.

"Who-Who are you guys?" asked the young man wary.

"Eh, that's right. You never got our names. I am Usopp, the greatest ranger in the land!" said the one with the long nose.

"Name's Luffy! And that is Zoro!" said the one with the straw hat as he pointed at the green haired one. Zoro just gave a light glare before throwing the bag in front of the young man.

"What's his problem?" asked the young man and Luffy answered "No idea"

The young man then looked at the bag and asked "So… what's in the bag?"

"Clothes" answered Usopp.

"Why?"

"Cause your butt naked" answered Luffy

The young man looked down of himself and he saw that they were right. He was only covered by a green cloak.

"ARGH!" shouted the young man and he hid behind the tree before yelling "WHAT KIND OF SICK SHIT HAVE YOU GUYS DONE TO ME!?"

"Nothing! We aren't that kind of creeps!" shouted Usopp defending. Luffy just stood there, oblivious.

"Ok… where are my companions?" asked the young man.

"Companions?" asked Usopp and Luffy confused.

"Yeah… Torkall the Hunter? Anastasia the Summoner? Elanor the Cleric!? What about Helmut Onyxhammer!? The dwarf!?"

"Sorry but… you were alone when we meet you" said Usopp as he thought "_All those are names of powerful members of the Dark Circle! The elites of the World Breaker! Shit, he can't find out that he has been resurrected!_"

"Are those your friends, mummy?" asked Luffy and Usopp fell to the ground crying.

"_Luffy! You idiot!_" thought Usopp as he lied on the ground.

"Mummy? What the hell are you talking about?" asked the young man.

"Don't you remember? You saved our lives from that hydra" said Luffy and as he said that a flashback occurred.

_Flashback_

_A young woman was under attack by demonic beast. Nine heads swung around such force that they stirred up an endless hurricane. Her companions tried to force their way to her aid, but the storms were to powerful and threw them back. The beast nine heads closed in on the woman and as it were about to dig its fangs into her…_

_**SLASH!**_

_With a slash of his grand blade, a Knight cut an eye into the storms and from the middle of said eye he dropped at such speed like he was flying, with his great sword ready to swing down. The beast looked up and launched eight of its nine heads, but to no avail. As the first head neared the Knight was it split in four. The second were decapitated and with the third he swung the blade so it fell in the corner of the head's mouth and sliced it down the neck till the fourth flew towards him. The fourth bites out but is split down the middle when the Knight slashes his sword upwards. The fifth came from above and the sixth from below, charging with such speed that the sound barrier breaks. The Knight swings around and cuts the jaws off the heads while dodging the high-speed attack by a hair. The seventh head appears out of nowhere and swallows the Knight whole, but is cut up from the inside. The eighth charged him with mouth wide open but as it closed in, the Knight dodged the fangs by stepping on its snout and jump down on the back of its neck. He begins to run down the neck and slice it apart to the point of a thousand pieces. The ninth head launched itself at the Knight with everything it got. The Knight leaps off the neck, raises his blade high above his head and as he did, deep black energy gathered around the blade, engulfing it completely. The beast ninth head opened wide and a blue ball of mana with a yellow tint formed inside. It turned the ball into a giant stream of energy that was fired against the Knight. The Knight closed his eyes a second only to open them wide with the white in his crimson eyes turned deep black. Suddenly the sky darkened and as a lightning bolt crashed against the ground, swung the Knight down and fired a massive blast of dark energy into the incoming attack. The stream of mana dispersed and the beast was completely obliterated. The clouds broke apart and the light shone through, showing the scars of the battle on the ground. Exhausted, the Knight crashed against the ground with such force that the ground shook._

_End of flashback_

The young man grabs his head in pain as the flashback fades and Usopp and Luffy looked worried on.

"Oy! Are you ok!?" asked Usopp.

"Yeah, I'm fine" said the young man but thought "_What the hell was that?_"

"Well… put the clothes on and join us by our campfire, ok?" said Luffy before he and Usopp turned around and walked towards the camp. The young man did as he said and joined them shortly. He wore a mail tunic, a dark cloak, a pair of leather greaves and boots and a pair of leather gloves.

"So, what were you talking about earlier?" asked the young man and Luffy answered "Well, you was this mummy, who was awesome, and killed this giant monster that we could not. You also saved Usopp's life by poison him or whatever you did. But for some reasons, you kept calling me 'Milo'"

"I… see…" said the young man before turning to Usopp, who made the 'Crazy!' sign as he pointed at Luffy.

Zoro looked at the young man awhile before getting up and go to the wagon. He rummaged it awhile before he took something out and threw it towards the young man. It was a sword that landed by his feet, so as you can guess that he got quite a scare.

"What the hell do you think you are doing Zoro!?" yelled Usopp after coming over his heart attack. Zoro quietly sat down by the fire, looked at the young man and said "Keep it"

The young man looked at Zoro and then at the blade. It was a bastard sword with a blade that was broader than normal with a somewhat curved double edge and a flat back. It had a double guard that melted perfectly together with the swords black hilt that was suited for two hands. The young man took the sword and looked it over. He then smirked and asked "Who made this? It's original and well made"

"Zoro did! He is an amazing smith when it comes to swords" said Luffy proudly.

"Yeah, he made my daggers too" said Usopp. "Oh, by the way... What did you do with the green cloak?"

"Huh? I forgot it behind the tree. Want me to get it?" asked the young man but Usopp just said "Nah, I'll get it myself. I need to wash it anyway" and walked up to the tree. He then headed into forest with the cloak under his arm.

"Where is he going?" asked the young man and Zoro said "There are a waterfall inside the forest. He is probably going there"

"Ok. Hey Zoro"

"What?"

"Do you have a scabbard for this blade?" asked the young man and Zoro gestured the wagon. The young man walked up to the wagon and looked inside. The inside of the wagon was filled with many different things. Food supplies, clothes, weapons, armor, vials and forging supplies. He looked around a bit and found a sheath for his new sword. When he jumped out of the wagon, came he face to face with the goat from before, it looking weirdly at him.

"That's Merry. It's Usopp's Brehh and the one who drags our group's wagon" said Luffy.

"Yeah… exactly what are you guys anyway?" asked the young man.

"We are adventures!" said Luffy proudly.

"Technically speaking are we mercenaries but our captain likes to call us that" said Zoro as he poked the fire.

"Who's your captain?" asked the young man and Zoro pointed at the young man with the straw hat, who was in the middle of picking his nose.

The young man looked at Luffy in disbelief and asked "Seriously?"

"Seriously" answered Zoro before lying down to nap.

The young man looked at both Zoro and Luffy before turning around, only to meet a wet tongue to the face. After wiping the drool off and keeping Merry off him a while, two people came out of the forest. One of them was an orange haired woman and the other was Usopp, beaten to a pulp.

"What happen to you? Got mauled by a bear or trampled by an elephant?" asked the young man and Usopp pointed at the woman in fear.

"You did that! Why?"

"Because that pervert was peeping while I took a bath under the waterfall!" yelled the woman angrily.

"I-I for-forgot t-that you were ther-there!" defended Usopp but clammed up when he received a dark glare from the woman.

"Nami. Take it easy on Usopp. He just had to wash his cloak" Luffy said in Usopp's defense.

"Maybe so, but I told all of you that I would take a bath there!" said Nami before walking up to the young man, hold out her hand and say "My name is Nami. Who might you be?"

"The name is Lucien" said the young man and shook her hand.

Nami thought "_I don't recognize that name from any of the books. Maybe he is a forgotten member…_"

"Something wrong?" asked Lucien and Nami responded with "Well I just wondered where you got that ring from?"

Lucien looked confused before looking at his right hand and sure enough, a black ring was there. Lucien looked even more confused than before and asked "Where did that come from?"

"You don't recognize it?" asked Nami while thinking "_Amnesia?_"

"It looks… somewhat familiar…" said Lucien before getting another flashback.

_Flashback_

_In a round chamber stood nine people around pedestal. On the pedestal laid nine black rings in a circle. One of the nine people stepped forward and took a ring. He put it on and raised his fist high. Another stepped forward and joined the first. Then a dwarf stepped forward joined them. An elven woman followed suit and it continued till it was a human woman's turn. She looked at the remaining two rings with uncertainty before looking at the one after her. He was wearing a full armor so she couldn't see his face, but he nodded as reassuringly as possible. The woman smiled before going to the pedestal and joined the others. Finally it was the last man's turn. He walked up to the pedestal and took the last ring. He put on and let his fist join the circle. As he did, streams of dark energy was emitted from the rings and flew wildly around the chamber. No one seemed to care for the dark energies and the one in full armor said "In honor of us all, may we live forever on!"_

_The dark streams gathered in the middle of the circle of fists and fused together into a deep black sphere before splitting apart and rejoin the rings. After that darkens everything._

_End of flashback._

Once again Lucien grabbed his head in pain and Nami looked concerned on.

"H-Hey! Are you ok!?" asked Nami.

"I am fine, there is no need to worry for me" said Lucien with a smile but thought "_May we live forever on?_"

"Oh, ok. Is there anything you need?" asked Nami.

"Yeah, could you tell me what year it is?"

"Why, it's the Fourth Age Year 1307" said Nami before realizing what she just said.

"WHAT!" shouted Lucien, scaring Usopp, waking Zoro and gaining the attention of Luffy. "IT'S NOT THE SECOND AGE YEAR 56!?"

"YES IT IS!" shouted Usopp, not sure of what he was doing. "THAT IS AS SURE AS MY NAME IS USOPP, THE LEGENDARY!"

Lucien just looked blankly at Usopp a while before shouting "IT'S NOT THE SECOND AGE YEAR 56!?"

"What's wrong!?" asked Zoro and Nami answered "He found out what year it is"

"What is wrong with that?" asked Luffy and Nami facepalmed.

"Luffy, think about it. What would you do if you found out you had come back from the dead?"

"COME BACK FROM THE DEAD!?" yelled Lucien, looking at Nami in disbelief. Nami quickly clammed up, not wanting to reveal anything more.

Lucien looked around on all of them before slapping himself. Luffy and the others looked surprised at Lucien as he sat down on the ground and said "Now that I have cleared my head… What the hell is going on?"

Nami looked at Lucien a while before nodding. They told him everything that happened. From getting trapped in the tomb, attacked by the hydra, how they had giving in to despair before he had risen from the grave to save them and how he completely destroyed the hydra. They even told him about how he had been enveloped in a cocoon of darkness that transformed him from undead to living. It looked to be too much for Lucien but he accepted it as the truth before starting to cry.

"Oy, why are you crying!?" asked Zoro.

"It-It's just… I will never see any of them again! Not Torkall! Not Elanor! Not Helmut or Anastasia!" answered Lucien as the tears rolled down his cheeks. Zoro, Nami and Usopp didn't know what to say. Luffy looked at Lucien a while before walk up to him and crouch down in front of him.

"What is the last thing you remember before meeting us?" asked Luffy and Lucien's tears stopped falling.

"The last thing… was the four of us sitting in a road inn just going wild. Helmut and Torkall chose to wrestle to find out who was the strongest and Elanor, who was typical so posh and aloof, was dancing on the table while shouting 'Who wants to party with the cleric!?' and swinging her ropes around. Me and Anastasia just sat by said table and laughed our asses off while sharing a drink and betting who would win between Torkall and Helmut… that was one fun night" said Lucien while looking lost in memories.

Luffy looked like he was thinking for a moment before he jumped up yelling "Everybody! Pack up! We are going to sleep at an inn tonight!"

Usopp, Zoro and Nami looked at their captain for moment before figuring out what he meant and followed order. In mere minutes was the wagon loaded and on the road again. Usopp drove the wagon while Nami sat next to him. Back in the wagon were Zoro, Lucien and Luffy sitting with Lucien looking confused.

* * *

After 3 hours found they an inn for the by the name 'Ye Olde Fighting Roosters*'. Usopp had Merry put in the stables as Nami rented rooms for five people. Lucien was asked to wait by the inn's bar with Luffy and when Nami returned he asked "What are you doing?"

"You'll see" said Nami with a smile. Suddenly Usopp appeared on a table in the middle of the inn and shouted "Listen up everyone! Let me tell you a story about how we was at death door and saved in the nick of time by a knight in rags! We walked through the catacombs of…!"

"What is he doing now?" asked Lucien.

"As I said, you'll see" said Nami with a happy smile. Usopps story continued on about how they had slayed several undeads, survived many devious traps and how they had saved their thief from giant spider, much to Nami's relief.

"…and after walking for hours, we finally reached the inner sanctum of the tomb. When we entered was we astounded by the sight. Skulls adorned the walls and bones littered the grounds. A sarcophagus was in the middle of the room on a mountain of skeletons. As the bravest I climbed the mountain with no efforts and…" continued Usopp as the patrons was completely absorbed by the story. Lucien looked on and said "That can't be completely right…"

"You learned his character pretty quickly, huh" said Zoro as he joined Lucien and Nami by the bar. They ordered a couple of beers before listening on.

"…and there we were. At the end of our ropes. Our captain pinned to the wall by the beast, the second-in-command hanging by the ankle from the beast's tail, me gravely wounded and poisoned and our thief, paralyzed by fear, at the beast's mercy. She looked on as the beast tongue neared her and as it made contact, she screamed 'SAVE ME!'…" told Usopp very dramatic, while screaming like a little girl when imitating Nami, much to her disdain.

"…and suddenly out of nowhere… SLASH!..." told Usopp as he jumped from one table to another. "…he appeared, splitting the entire beast down the middle with his mighty bastard sword! The beast tried to fight back but he was too much! He ended it all with a powerful spell that shook the entire mountain…!"

"Here it comes…" said Nami and Usopp exclaimed "…and that man is with us today! Everyone, give Lucien, the Hydra Slayer, a big hand!" and pointed at Lucien. The entire inn broke out in applause as Lucien was left baffled. Had they just giving him credit for slay he didn't even remember. He was reluctant at first but easily broke out a smile when people asked to see the sword that split a hydra. He showed his sword with pride and Zoro smirked as they the folks gave it the name of 'Baal'Grok Kathorta*', the Hydra Cutter.

The night went on. Luffy and Usopp took on challengers for brawls. Zoro took on challengers for drinking contests and had already taken down 20 of them. Lucien and Nami sat at the bar having their own drinking contest and was betting on how long Usopp could outrun his first challenger. Lucien laughed, smiled and danced that night, all while thinking "These guys make me feel at home"

After some time had the inn calmed down and Luffy, Usopp and Nami had gone to their room. Zoro and Lucien sat by the bar and were talking about weapons. The door to the inn opened up and in walked a woman in purple robes. She was tall and slender with shoulder-length black hair and a long, thin and defined nose. Her blue eyes skimmed the room before walking up to the bar and ask the barkeep "Excuse me, do you know where I can get a good sword?"

"The closest place is in the city of Greyrose which further up the road, ma'am" answered the barkeep but the woman looked displeased.

"That is a shame, since I am headed the other way" said the woman.

Lucien overheard this and asked "Excuse me milady, but you were looking for a sword?"

"Yes I am. Are you offering yours?"

"No, no, but I know a good smith" said Lucien as he grabbed Zoro and dragged him in front of himself. Zoro glared at the woman lightly since she was a tad taller than him.

"Hmm, not the friendliest of smiths, is he now?" said the woman with an amused smile.

"Maybe not, but he does wonders with a blade. Both wielding vice and forging vice. He got his collection in the wagon out back"

"Very well, I'll take a look at your wares" said the woman as she walked for the back door. Zoro reluctant followed her and as he did glared he at Lucien, who just grinned mischievous and said "Good luck"

Outside was Zoro forced to take out all his swords and laid them out on the ground, so she could get a good look at them. She looked over each of them with much care, like her life depended on it. When she was done, looked she at Zoro and asked "Is this all you got?"

"Yeah, why, something wrong?" asked Zoro, not really caring.

"Well, they are not really what I look after" answered she in a sad tone.

Zoro took a good look at her and asked "What are you looking for?"

The woman looked slightly surprised at Zoro before saying "Well, something that is thin and sturdy. It shouldn't be too heavy but strong enough to neither bend or break when you cut deep into the opponent"

Intrigued, Zoro grabbed his hammer and walked up to the nearby barn. He opened up the barn-door and as he predicted, there was a forge used for horse shoes inside. He put the hammer in his mouth and pulled out a black bandana that he tied around his head and said "Let's do this"

The woman looked on as he got the forge ready to forge her new sword and she asked "Why are you going through so much trouble to make this sword?"

"Easy, it's a new challenge" answered Zoro while he got the fire going. He then took the hammer out of his mouth and grabbed a tang before beginning to forge the new weapon.

* * *

A new day dawned and the woman woke up on a hay ball and looked around. Zoro was in the middle of hammering the guard in when he noticed her and asked "Awake?"

"Yeah, is it ready?"

"Yep" said Zoro simply and presented the sword. It was slender and a tad longer than a normal sword. The guard was a metal cup meant to protect the wielder from enemy attacks and at the end of the hilt was a fat pummel. She looked it over and took it to get a feel of it in her hand.

"Is it ok?" asked Zoro.

"It's perfect" she answered simply and asked "What's the price?"

"I haven't figured that out yet. Let's say that we find out next time we meet" said Zoro as he took the bandana off and walked out of the barn. The woman just looked as he disappeared into the dawn and a smile crept up on her face.

Zoro joined his friends by the wagon just as Usopp had strapped Merry to it.

"Oy Zoro. Where were you?" asked Luffy.

"Out in the barn" answered Zoro.

"Oh, Zoro you sly dog. You did it in the barn?" asked Lucien.

"Well yeah, it was the only place where we could do it" said Zoro confused.

"Did what?" asked Nami and Lucien whispered something into her ear. As Nami listing, she got a cheekier and cheekier grin on her face. She then looked at Zoro and said "Oh, it looks like our Zoro is a man now"

"What are you talking about?" asked Usopp and Nami whispered something to Usopp.

"Zoro did what!?" said Usopp as he turned bright red and turned around.

"What's going on?" asked Zoro and Nami responded with "Don't think we didn't notice. You're still sweating from that tumble in the hay"

"Tumble in the hay?" said Zoro, confused till he realized what they meant.

"N-No! We didn't do that! She just needed a new sword" defended Zoro bright red.

"Oh, she got a sword alright" said Lucien before he and Nami burst into laughter while Zoro yelled at them to shut up, Usopp hid his face and Luffy looked on, completely confused.

Meanwhile the woman was walking down the road when she was jumped by bandits.

"Ha, looks like we are going to have fun tonight" said the bandits' leader as he walked towards her. Before he reached her, drew she her sword and sliced his throat. He fell to the ground, gurgling on his own blood and the bandits charged her in anger. She quickly used the leader's blood to draw a circle with the tip of her blade, smash her hand into the middle of the circle and call out "**Pros Bujar!***"

In an instant was all the bandits sliced in halfs and behind her stood a black knight tall with a giant blade in its right hand, a shield in the other, riding a hellfire-horse. The woman looked at the blade in her hand and thought with a smile "_I have to make sure he is paid well_"

* * *

**Who is this mysterious woman (Like you haven't figured that out) and where did that knight come from?**

**Find out in future chapters of The Tales of Azaluna!**

**WARNING! Long Authors Notes. Contain lots of Bios. If interested, proceed reading. WARNING!**

**Hi everyone.**

**First of all I will wait for next chapter to tell you about the world of Azaluna but I will write those Bios of Luffy and co. in this author's notes. I will also add ML (Mana Level) that is meant to tell you how much mana the humanoids have and removed the myths and weight. (Mostly because Nami would beat me up for revealing her weight, shhh) I have added a gear list so you can see their current gear and I have also added a Class to tell you guys about the different people's classes since this fic were original based on RPG games.**

* * *

**Luffy is first!**

**Name:** Luffy D. Monkey.

**Species:** Human.

**Class:** Fighter: Fighters are close-combat hand-to-hand combat specialists, who believe that true happiness can only be achieved by pounding your fist into your enemies face. They call mana for "Inner Energy" and use it to increase the strength of their bodies or their durability. Fighters use light leather armor to be more agile in combat and the only weapons they are using are battle-gauntlets or battle-boots, which can be made out of light leather or heavy metal. Because of their fast and heavy rains of attacks, Fighters a perfect to deal massive damage to the enemy in a short period of time.

**BL:** 32

**ML:** 24

**Size:** Height: 174cm.

**Bio:** Luffy comes from a mountain village in the rough mountains of Steel Peaks to the east but used most of his childhood to in the Ape Temple where he trained in the Ways of the Ape, a fighting style that combines the heavy hits of the gorilla with the agility of several monkeys. At an early age he developed his own form of "Inner Energy" that didn't increase the strength of his body like so many others, but made him immune to normal blunt attacks and allowed him to stretch his body parts to the extreme, making him able to send his fist stretching, resulting in long-range hand-to-hand combat techniques. His master called Luffy's unique style for "The Stretching Monkey" (Because he wouldn't accept "The Rubber Fist") and sent Luffy out on a pilgrimage to develop his style. Luffy completely forgot about the pilgrimage and formed a band of mercenaries together with Zoro called "The Straw Hat Adventures". Luffy is a born fighter and a battle genius to say the least. He can fight on equal terms with Zoro, who's the member with the most combat experience, with instinct alone and even though he isn't as physical strong, he makes up with incredible speed and agility. Even though he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, he is the member with most understanding on how to channel mana through the entire body and use it to enhance it.

**Gear:**

Straw Hat: While it is nothing but a normal straw hat, he sees it as his greatest treasure and protects it with everything he got.

Leather Shorts: Made out of thick leather, these shorts a made to give him protection without weighing him down and give him the freedom to stretch his legs without trouble.

Iron-Plated Leather Gloves: This is the only weapon Luffy has on him and it works perfectly with his fighting style. He can use it as both a defensive and an offensive weapon and it increase the attack of all his attacks.

Sandals: Just nice to wear.

* * *

**Zoro is up!**

**Name:** Zoro Roronoa.

**Species:** Human.

**Class:** Warrior: Warriors are the heavy hitters of any group, while still maintaining the role as the group's tank. With their preference for heavy armor, Warriors can be hell take down. No one can stand their ground like a heavy armored Warrior with the durability of a dragon and the stubbornness of a mule. With three styles to fight with, the Warriors can have variety from going defensive with a weapon and a shield till the use of heavy two-hand weapons. The style that gives the most variety is the dual-weapon style since some Warriors use dual-shields or twin staffs. Warriors don't use magic that much since they see it as a tool for them who are weak of body, but experience Warriors can channel the power of their mana to strengthen their body and even giving titanic power to overcome their enemies.

**BL:** 34

**ML:** 20

**Size:** Height: 178cm.

**Bio:** Not much is known about Zoro's past before meeting Luffy, but it is said he lived in a remote village in the north, where he learned the ways of the Warrior. His training was long and hard, but along the way he developed a love for the smith craft in the village and learned how to make his own swords. Zoro is easily one of the more physical strong members and the one with the most battle experience he earned in his childhood. He does have some trouble with people like Luffy who strikes fast and hard, but easily created several counter moves to handle that problem. He his specialty is dual-weapons but he uses only one sword at the moment. As the member with the lowest ML he don't have much experience in the uses of mana as he relies more on brute strength to take down his opponent.

**Gear:**

Leather Shoulder-Plate: Sitting on his left shoulder is a shoulder-plate made out of leather.

Mail Greaves: A pair of greaves meant to protect against an arrow to the knee.

Leather Boots. Some old boots that Zoro has worn for years and probably will for years to come.

Sword: A sword with a white hilt. It has a curved, single edge blade with a flat back that is longer than a normal blade. It's guard less and have no pummel to counterbalance the blade, but surprising enough the sword is well-balanced. It seems to mean a lot to Zoro as it never leaves his side.

* * *

**Nami is next!**

**Name:** Nami.

**Species:** Human.

**Class:** Thief: Thieves are the one the group depends on to slip behind the enemy and stab them in the back. They use leather for the most part but can also use cloth and silk. Thieves are very dexterous with the use of knifes, with being able to use all from daggers to throwing knives. While being able to quickly take out unaware enemies, they are pretty weak in actual combat with only supporting in fights like, using throwing knives or attack the enemy at its blind spots. In the use of mana are thieves trying to either create illusions or make the enemy believe they are alone. Some thieves can even use a spell called Shadow Step that allows them to teleport into a shadow take out their foe and then teleport to another shadow without being noticed.

**BL:** 22

**ML:** 36

**Size:** Height: 169cm.

**Bio:** Nami is from a coastal village in the east that is famous for its delicious oranges. She was cared and raised by a former Guardian who had found her and her adopted sister in the aftermath of a battlefield further inland when she was just a baby. She had a natural knack for magic so she was taught how to handle and manipulate magic at the age of 5. She could have been a successful mage in the College of Brighthaven, but because of the tragic murder of her stepmother she swore of magic. Nami is not close to be among the strong members of since she is more adapt to magic. Instead she have worked on her dexterity and developed the skills to survive without being caught. Even though she is adapted to channel her mana, she is having trouble to make her footsteps quiet or blend into the shadows with ease. Because of this she depends more on her skills than her mana to sneak behind the enemy.

**Gear:**

Leather Patched Tunic: A torn tunic Nami has patched up many times.

Matching Leather Greaves and Boots: A pair of stylish leather greaves that Nami found a matching pair of boots to.

Bandolier: A bandolier filled with throwing knives and vials.

Twin Knives: A pair of knives with red hilts. They are made by Zoro after Nami had nagged him a week for them.

* * *

**Time for Usopp!**

**Name:** Usopp.

**Species:** Human

**Class:** Ranger: Rangers are renowned and honored for their skills with the bow to the point of being the second best in the lands. They are said to be able to hit a cockroach at a distance of 200m and split the arrow on the second shot. They can defend themselves in close-combat but is best suited to stand in the back of the party and barrage the enemy with arrows. Rangers are also known for their large variety of arrow from simple arrowheads to explosive arrows. While mana isn't completely up their alley they have a few ways to channel it. With hard training has they developed the ability of True Sight by channeling their mana into their eyes. This ability allows them to see half a mile ahead, making them incredible scouts.

**BL:** 26

**ML:** 26

**Size:** Height: 174cm.

**Bio:** Usopp is from a small island in the south where he is known for his tedious lies. He originally set out to sea to become a Bard but on the suggestion of some friends he tried out to be a Ranger instead. He met a lot more success as a Ranger than as a Bard and he still got to tell his tall tales. According to Usopp was Merry giving to him by a rich girl who had a crush on him, but this is Usopp so… He met Luffy in a tavern one night and tried to con him from a bit of his gold, but they hit it off and Usopp ended up joining his band of mercenaries. Usopp is a big coward and a weakling to boot so he could only dream of fighting in close-combat but with a bow in hand he gain the courage of a lion to the point of being ready to sacrifice himself to deliver the deathblow. His skills with a bow have been undeniable since he demonstrated his skill for Luffy and the others. At the distance of 300m shot he an apple on top of Zoro's head without knocking it over.

**Gear:**

Green Cloak: a green cloak that Usopp wear with pride.

Leather Tunic: A tunic Usopp hopes will protect him.

Green Cloth Pants: A pair of pants that matched the cloak.

Leather Boots: A good pair of boots to walk around in.

Red Bow and Quiver: The only things his father left before he left for adventures.

Twin Daggers: A pair of daggers made by Zoro. They have unique blue hilts.

* * *

**Now for Lucien!**

**Name:** Lucien.

**Species:** believed Human.

**Class:** Unknown.

**BL:** 34

**ML:** 30

**Size: **Height: 192cm.

**Bio:** Lucien is a bit of a mystery. Hailing from the Second Age, should he be too old to have anything to do with the World Breaker but the ring on his finger tells Luffy and co. that he was in his court at the time of death and with the information he provided them was most of the court from the same age. How it can be, they don't know, but everything points that Lucien is something special, even in this world. In physical strength matches he Zoro almost perfectly and with an instinct almost on par with Luffy is he a force to reckon with. His power in for magic is unknown since he don't remember any spells from the time he was mummy but with his ML only second to Nami, could his magic pack some serious punch.

**Gear:**

Mail Tunic: A piece of armor meant to protect the torso better than leather.

Dark Cloak: For some reason, this cloak gives Lucien an almost calming aura.

Leather Greaves and Boots: Greaves and boots that gives a sense of protection around the knee.

Leather Gloves: A pair of gloves used to enhance his grip, giving him a better hold of his sword.

Baal'Grok Kathorta: A blade made by Zoro. It is a bastard sword with a blade that is broader than normal with a somewhat curved double edge and a flat back. It has a double guard that melts perfectly together with the swords black hilt that is suited for two hands. It was giving its name by the patrons of "Ye Olde Fighting Roosters" in belief that it was the one that split a hydra down the middle.

**I will update these Bios as the story progress but not in every chapter.**

* * *

**Merry!**

**Name:** Brehh.

**Species:** Mammal Beast.

**BL:** 22

**Size:** Height: 210cm. Length: 200cm.

**Weight:** 146kg.

**Bio:** Brehhs have a similar build as workhorses but is stronger in most aspects. They have long white fur that is meant to hold them warm in arctic climates while protecting them from the harsh sun rays in the desert. They a perfect work beast and can be used in almost all weather conditions. They have a tendency to lick people they like.

**Myth:** It is said that if a person they care for is meeting their doom then the Brehh's fur turns golden and it gains the ability to fly.

* * *

**The * section**

"**Ye Olde Fighting Roosters" is a name based on a real place. Try to guess its original name.**

"**Pros Bujar" means Blade Knight in Black Speech.**

"**Baal'Grok Kathorta" means Hydra Cutter in a mix of Black Speech and an original word. Baal'Grook is the original word and just means Hydra.**

**That's it folks. Leave a review and if you have a question then send me a PM.**


	4. The City of Greyrose

The group was on the road again. Nami and Lucien had stopped teasing Zoro, who still was mad at them, and was sitting in the wagon together with him.

"Oh come on. You can't still be mad at us. It was just a perfect moment to tease you a little" said Nami to Zoro who sat across her.

"Hmp!" grunted he in response.

"Fine. Be offended if you must but don't say that we didn't apologies" said Nami as she drew a knife and began to sharpen it.

Lucien just sat next to her and was reading a book. The book was about the Third Age or the Dark Age as it was called and since he didn't know anything about that age, then it would probably prove quite the interesting tale. He read each word with much concentration to understand what had happen while he was dead. He learned of the Battle of Tsun'mor that was first victory against the World Breaker and he learned of the Massacre of Dunwhal where almost 500.000 soldiers died a meaningless death at the hand of one man. He was so absorbed in the tales of the Dark Age that he didn't notice that Nami tried to come in contact with him till she hit him.

"Ouch, what was that for?" asked Lucien.

"Lucien, we have stopped" said Nami and Lucien looked around. She was right, they had stopped the wagon and Zoro had already left.

"And? You could just had left me to read my book in peace"

"I know but there is something I needed to ask you"

"What?"

"Let me cut you hair. It is way too long to not be a problem in combat" said Nami and she was right. His hair went all the way down to his feet and when you think that he is taller than 1.9m made it some pretty long hair.

"Very well" said Lucien and jumped out of the wagon. He looked around and saw Luffy and Usopp sitting around a fire and was cooking a boar. Zoro lied in the shadows of a tree and was taking a nap. Nami asked Lucien to sit on a tree stump and drew a knife.

"Let us begin" said Nami as she grabbed Lucien's hair.

"Wait, you are actually going to _cut_ my hair?" said Lucien a bit nervous.

"Huh, yeah"

"What about a scissor?"

"Can't afford it. Most of our coin goes to either metal or meat" said Nami as she began to cut his hair.

"How come?" asked Lucien.

"Because Zoro needs materials for his forging and Luffy needs meat for his stomach"

"Well I can see how Zoro's profession can consume a lot of coin, but not how Luffy's stomach can"

"Look over there" said Nami in response and Lucien looked where she pointed. It was towards Luffy and Usopp who were eating. Usopp's plate had a few slices of meat while Luffy didn't even have a plate. He just took the boar and began to eat of it after Usopp had taken his plate. Suddenly Lucien could understand why this band of mercenaries couldn't afford a scissor. Nami continued cut Lucien's hair and after 15 minutes was she done. His hair went now just past his shoulders and was tied in a ponytail. He had two bangs, not as long as the rest of his hairs but still long enough to reach his chin, one on either side of his face.

"Looks good" complimented Nami, a little proud of her work.

"Thanks" responded Lucien.

"Oy, guys! We have to leave now to reach Greyrose before tonight!" yelled Usopp from the Wagon. Nami and Lucien walked over and jumped aboard.

* * *

The ride was long but without trouble and they reached the city walls of Greyrose. They stopped outside the gate and a guard walked up to them.

"State your business here in Greyrose" asked the guard.

"We are mercenaries and we are here to sell our wares and stay for the next few days" answered Usopp.

"Mercenaries, eh? We don't have any need for your kind here but you are welcome to stay and we might need your wares" said the guard and the gate opened. They drove through it and drove around the city.

It was a normal city of this land but it still had its charms. The paved streets were filled with a buzzing crow, almost too thick for the wagon to get through. The houses were old but still stood strong, like the day they were build. The group drove by the city's magnificent gothic cathedral by the north wall and they all gasped in awe. From there could they also see Castle Greyrose, a castle that sat atop a hill by the eastern wall. They drove towards the middle of the city when they saw it. In the middle of the city was a giant lake with a big island in the middle of the lake. Three bridges connected the island with the city and the population had converted the entire island into a marked square. They drove over one of the bridges and found an available spot to set up camp. When they had set up the tents began they on tonight's dinner.

"Ok, what will we do tomorrow?" asked Lucien during dinner.

"Well, we'll sell some of Zoro's swords and make some gold. Zoro? You are ok with us selling them, right?" asked Nami.

"Yeah I'm fine with that. We need the coin and all those swords deserve to be used instead of sitting in a wagon forever" answered Zoro as he looked at the wagon.

"Yeah… hey guys. I have heard that this city also has an arena and that they will hold a tournament in a couple of days" said Usopp.

"Those things are barbaric! Who in their right mind would risk their lives for something as stupid as—" said Nami before Usopp interrupted.

"The 1st prize is apparently 10.000 gold coins and an almost legendary sword…"

"As your manager I demand 50% of all your winnings!" bounced Nami back with a smirk.

"We are entering the tournament!?" shouted Usopp and Lucien.

"Sounds fun!" said Luffy loudly with a big grin.

"Sounds like a bore. You can count me out" said Zoro as he laid himself down.

"What about the sword? It might be one of the ones you are looking for" said Luffy and Zoro froze up for a second.

"What's this about?" asked Lucien and Nami answered "Zoro is looking for some specific swords for some reason, but he won't tell us anything about it"

Zoro got up again and walked to his tent before crawled in. Lucien just looked and said "It must mean something to him"

"Yeah. Hey Lucien. What was it like in the Second Age?" asked Usopp.

"Well… it was much like now but still very different. I actually have a question"

"Shoot"

"How come we haven't seen any elves or dwarfs? They used to be a big part of community back in my days"

"Well you see…" said Usopp.

"They aren't in this world anymore" answered Nami.

"What do you mean? Have they been lost in the Nether?" asked Lucien.

"No they have migrated to the Dark World"

"The Dark World?"

"Yeah, during the Dark Age chose the dwarfs and elves to join the World Breaker in his conquest of our world. They are seen as traitors even today where the World Breaker is defeated"

"Wait, you mean the World on the other side of the Wall, don't you?"

"Yeah, as you know, our world is surrounded by a giant natural wall that protects us from the beast of the Dark World. The Dark Lords travelled into that world and conquered it before turning back to the Human World and spread chaos"

"I read about it but I always thought it referred to the Nether. It just makes sense when you think about it, since the Nether is a plane with demonic monster and feral beast" said Lucien.

"Yeah, but only few can enter the Nether and fewer can get a demon under their control. The last recorded Netherwalker was Anastasia the Summoner, High Mage to the World Breaker" said Nami before realizing what she just said.

Lucien looked at her in disbelief before saying "Wait, Anastasia!? The Anastasia that I knew from my life in the Second Age!?"

"I-I…" said Nami.

"Wait so she is a bad guy?" asked Luffy.

"No! She was one of the gentlest persons I have ever known! No one and I mean no one had as big a heart as her! I will not believe she would do those demonic things as the books says that happened under the—" said Lucien when he realized "If she was a part of the World Breaker's forces then does that mean that I was too?"

"Maybe… we did find you in a tomb made by the Dark Lords" said Usopp quietly.

Lucien looked at them all in disbelief before storming to his tent. Nami and Usopp looked at him as he went and felt stupid for not telling him. Luffy then put a hand on Nami's shoulder and asked sincerely "Are you going to eat that?" before getting his face punched in.

* * *

That night got Lucien nightmares. He saw images of an army wearing black armors. Men and women's from the human, the elven and the dwarven races marched with no remorse. There was an endless amount of infantry, archers and cavalry among them. Walking with them were men with two heads, blue skin and five times the size of men. With them followed men who towered over them and golems of either steel or stone. Some of these artificial beings were as small as the human soldiers or as big as the giant men. Dragons and other beast roamed the sky above, with or without riders. The army was so vast that Lucien couldn't see the end of it but he saw something of in the distance towards the end of the army. It was three titanic shadows resembling men but towered over the giants, slowly walking in the distance. The nightmares blurred but he could see visions of a siege of a grand city with an extremely tall tower in the middle. Every time a soldier lost his life he could feel it. Every time a beast sank its fangs into a poor man or woman he could feel it. Every time someone were burnt to a crisp, got an eye stabbed out, crushed underneath a giant's weapon, shot with an arrow, impaled with a sword, ripped apart by a golem, met their end at the end of a spear, slayed by monster, crippled by an enemy or trampled by a rider, Lucien could feel their pain, their sorrows, their regrets and their few hopes of survival. Suddenly all stopped fighting and looked up. Overshadowing the city was the three shadows from before. The middle one then held its hand over the city and as it did, flames poured out of the palm of its hand, engulfing the entire city. The defenders tried to run from the flames but the black army didn't stop striking them down. Even as the fires engulfed the soldiers, ate the giants and melted the golems, the black army didn't stop their task to kill the defending force. As the flames had taken the entire city, saw Lucien it from a distance. The smoke filled the sky, making him unable to see anything but the three shadows towering over the tower in the middle of the city. Then a sight met him that he couldn't believe. From behind the three appeared a fourth shadow. It was several times larger than the three others and had the shape of a great wyrm* with its wings shadowing the full moon. The shadow threw its head high into the air as it made a roar that dispersed the smoke, put out the burning city, caused the ground to shake, the sky to split and the tower to crumble. Lucien awoke in the dead of night with a cold sweat and felt that nightmare was a part of his very being now.

Lucien thought much over his nightmare, about how it was filled with visions from the different views of all the combatants on the battlefield and how he saw it from a distance at the last part. If it was really a vision of his past then where was he in it? As he thought it over became it more confusing and more unreal. The sun rose and Lucien chose to leave his tent. When he got out, found he a letter addressed to him. He unfolded it and read.

_Lucien… we are sorry we didn't tell you. We was afraid of the fact that you might have been a demon from the Dark Age and we felt if we told you, you would attack us, but… you have proven to be a better person than most of us can say. We hope that you will accept our apologies and we can stay the friends we have become…_

As he had read the text, a tear fell quietly and a smile slowly broke out.

"Oy, Men doesn't cry"

Lucien looked around and saw Zoro standing a little distance away while swinging a giant weight around. Lucien just smiled and said "Of course they do, it just a lot rare to see"

"Tch, like hell you are going to see me cry"

"Maybe someday"

"Yeah" said Zoro as he put the weight down. He then drew his sword and said "But you have to work hard to do so"

Lucien nodded and went back into his tent to get his sword. As soon as he got out attacked Zoro with all his might, but Lucien made a quick-draw slash and blocked Zoro sword. The force that was generated by this clash blew away Lucien's tent and sounded like thunder. Zoro and Lucien were in a stalemate now. If either of them stepped back would the other take the opportunity to continue his assault and win the fight. The only answer? Overpower him! Both of them grabbed their sword with both hands and pushed forward, causing the air to shake around them. The blades grinded against each other with such force that the part touching began to heat up and glow white. Suddenly Zoro's blade cracked and Zoro was forced back. They both jumped back and then leapt at each other again, swords at the ready. They swung several times, each time blocking each other and then continue their barrage. They jumped back once again and looked at each other. A green colored fog of mana began to slowly emit from Zoro and it gathered around his muscles. The mana then seeped into his muscles and Zoro's muscles began to expand to almost double their size. Lucien looked at Zoro and then smirked as his eyes shined crimson. He positioned his sword at his hip and as he did a black mana engulfed the blade. They both readied to strike when somebody screamed "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING!?"

They looked over to see Nami glaring dangerously evil at them.

"Training" said they and Nami's glare intensified.

"Oh, so you think that because of "training" you have the right to go amok with your auras*, HUH!"

"Umm…" was all they got to say before Nami pounced at them and beat them to a pulp.

Luffy and Usopp had also left their tents to see what was happening outside and Luffy asked "Hey Usopp. What is "Auras" again?"

"Auras? Well… it is… ehrm…" said Usopp unsure.

"An Aura is a physical manifestation of our mana…" said Nami as she walked away from the bloody bodies of Zoro and Lucien. "…that allows us to use spells or in Zoro's case, reinforcing our physical body. Normally would it be invisible, only to be felt as wind or seen by people highly adapted with the arcane arts, but when we use a high concentration of mana all at once, then it appears as a colored fog. You can see it for yourself"

Nami took a step forward and as she did, an invisible force made a forced push to everything nearby, forcing Usopp to fall over, and then an orange fog emitted from her body. The fog twirled and gathered over the palm of her hand. It took a round shape and then became a bubble in a state between liquid and solid.

Luffy and Usopp looked closely at the bubble and began poking it. Every time they poked it would it begin bouncing a little and they began to snigger. They poked it over and over till Nami glared at them and the bubble split in two. The bubbles then smashed into Usopp's and Luffy's faces. Afterwards began they to run around as they tried to rip the paste-like orange mana off.

Nami looked back at the bloody body of Lucien and thought "_But the way he handle his mana was different from anything I have seen. Applying the mana directly to the sword is as good as unheard of but not impossible. Sending it out as a blast of energy is dangerous to both the enemy and the user but… has the destructive potential of a dragon's breath. Is it something he learned in the Dark Age or is it instinctive? And the way he did it. He didn't even manifest his mana before applying it to the blade. The only thing I can say for sure is that he aren't a normal man_"

* * *

**Who knows, wait I do!**

**Hi everyone.**

**I hope you like this chapter and leave a review.**

**The * section**

**A Wyrm is another word for the European dragon and is also used to refer to elder dragons in several different fantasy genre games/books/movies/TV series.**

**Auras are something you can find a lot about on the internet. The reason I write this is because that exist a lot of information on this matter and I probably shouldn't write it all in this fic.**


	5. Day Off

Usopp prepared breakfast as Zoro and Lucien recovered from Nami's beat-to-a-pulp no jutsu. They got up just as breakfast was ready and joined the rest to eat. When they were done, began they to talk about what they should do today.

"So… what should we do today?" asked Luffy.

"You four are going to train today. You need all the experience you can accumulate in a day as fast as you can" said Nami.

"Wait, you was serious about us enter the tournament, weren't you?" asked Usopp.

"Of course I was! Why in the world would I kid around when it's about 10.000 gold pieces!?" asked Nami angrily.

"And there you have it" said Usopp as tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Anyway, before I send you off to training, we need to find some real strong monsters to fight. So until then you can do as you wish"

"Yosh! Then I am going to look for adventures!" shouted Luffy before he stormed out of camp. The rest of them looked after him with a sweat-drop and said "Idiot…"

Zoro then got up and said "I'm taking off"

"Where are you going?" asked Usopp.

"The smithy" answered Zoro as he walked away. Nami and Usopp looked as he walked and said "Don't get lost"

Zoro almost fell before regaining his posture and walk away grumbling something about damn witch and long nosed liar.

As Usopp got up, threw Nami a hand-size pouch to him.

"What's this?" asked Usopp.

"50 silver pieces. Invest in different items you deem needed for a hard battle" said Nami and Usopp nodded before he walked out into the marked square.

Lucien was just about to get up when Nami said "You have to stay"

"What, why?" asked Lucien.

"Because we need for someone has to stay and protect the camp. You also have to sell Zoro's swords and earn us some coin while we are away"

"Fine" grunted Lucien not pleased with the decision. Nami saw this and walked over to her tent. She rummaged it for a while before coming out with something in her hand. She walked back to Lucien and handed him a book.

"What's this?" asked Lucien as he took the book.

"It's a Spell Tome. I have had it for many years now so don't go ruin it" said Nami before she took off. Lucien looked at the tome for awhile before putting it on the ground. He walked up to the wagon and began to put up shop. When he put out the blankets and laid the swords out on them, he grabbed the tome again, sat behind the rows of weapons and began reading.

* * *

Luffy was now in the eastern part of town and just walked around. Suddenly his stomach began rumble and he said "So hungry… Nami didn't let me eat enough breakfast to day"

Luffy looked around for a place to eat and found one. It was name the Baratie and they offered all you could eat for 10 silvers and 50 copper. Luffy reached a hand into his pocket and looked what he got. 10 silvers and 50 copper exactly, but Luffy still had to count it twice.

"46…47…48…49…50… 10 silvers and 50 copper!"

Happy he walked into the restaurant and shouted "Bring me all I can eat!"

* * *

Zoro walked randomly around town in an attempt to find the smithy. He looked to the left to oblivious see the same flower stand for the sixth time.

"Hmm, lots of flower stands in this city" said Zoro before continuing onward. When he reached the same flower stand for the seventh time, looked he to his right and saw the local smithy. He smirked at finally find his destination and walked in. The smithy looked like any old shop. Hanging by the walls was several iron plates and underneath was barrels filled with many different kinds of weapons. By the far wall were the desk and an entrance to another room where the forge was. The smith was a giant man wearing and leather apron and leather gloves. In his hand had he a massive hammer. He was bald, had a big nose and a small blond mustache. When he noticed Zoro said he "Welcome! What can I do for you today?"

"I am looking for a specific kind of swords" said Zoro directly and the smith asked "Anything I have made or something imported?"

"Imported" said Zoro and the smith almost dropped dead. He then got up and grumbled "Look in those barrels" as he pointed at some barrels in the corner by the door.

Zoro walked up and looked the barrels thoroughly but found nothing. Giving up, he turned around and looked back at the smith. The smith had just come from out back and placed a glass container on the desk. Zoro looked at the container with shock and disbelief. Inside the glass container was a sword. It had a long slightly curved blade with a round grey guard and a grey hilt. The sheath was grey and ornamented with a flower pattern. Zoro quickly got up to the desk and yelled "How much for that sword!?"

Stunned by his action said the smith "I-It is not for sale. It is the prize for the upcoming tournament"

Zoro looked unhappy by the smith's words but asked "Can…can I look at the blade?"

The smith looked at him for some time before he opened the glass container and handed him the sword. Zoro slowly slide the blade out of its sheath and looked at it. It was long and unique with a distinct pattern that resembled flowing water, forged directly into the steel itself. Zoro was not mistaken. This was one of the blades he was looking for.

"Its name is Sacfried or "Holy Water" as it is translated to. The blade is from the northern continents and is a master's work" said the smith and Zoro sheathed the sword again. He handed the sword back to the smith before walking towards the door and say "I will win that blade"

The smith looked as Zoro left the shop and thought "_Funny, I believe him_"

Zoro walked outside, on his way back to camp and thought "_What do you think is going to happen? Freja?_"

Meanwhile were Luffy still eating.

* * *

Usopp was looking around the market and had found many different gadgets to fight monsters with. He was just about to go back to camp to drop all the gadgets off, when a little old lady ran up to him and said "You, you wouldn't happen to be Usopp?"

"How do you know my name?" asked Usopp confused.

"Do you not remember? It's me, Sara Emile"

"Emile? Wait, Old Lady Emile!?" yelled Usopp before his face was smashed in by a sandal.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING OLD!?" roared the little old lady with a demonic look on her face.

"So-Sorry Lady Emile" said Usopp bleeding.

"Please call me Princess" said the little old lady.

"More like old hag…" muttered Usopp before his face was stamped into the paved street.

"What was that?" asked she with a nice but dark look on her face.

"Nothing Princess!" yelled Usopp, whose head was underground.

"Good. Now come along" said the little old lady after she pulled his head out of the ground.

"Where?" asked Usopp.

"Why to my home. I have to know what has happen back on the island while I was gone" she said and Usopp followed her to her house.

Usopp followed her to outside the gate to a rural district. When they arrived to a small shack, had Usopp to ask "You live in this dump?"

"It may be a dump on the outside but it is still my home so be quiet about it" she said as she entered.

"The outside?" asked Usopp puzzled before entering. When he was inside was he shocked to say the least. The room he just had entered was several times bigger than the shack itself and it was like the hall of a palace.

"What the hell just happened!?" shouted Usopp as his eyes jumped out of his head.

"Hohohoho, wouldn't you like to know. Now, follow me to the living room" she said as she climbed a set of stairs. Usopp still in a state of shock followed her up the stairs and through a hallway. When they reached the living room became Usopp even more perplexed about the house. The living was almost as big as the hall he just came from and was decorated with many paintings of a beautiful woman. She had golden brown waved hair wearing a gold circlet and a pair of diamond earrings. Her eyes were hazel with a mysterious golden glint.

"Who is that?" asked Usopp, completely in awe of the beauty on the paintings.

"Oh that's me of course" said Lady Emile and after some time seeped it in with Usopp and he shouted "SERIOUSLY!?"

"Why yes and I am going to hit you if you don't believe me" she said shaken her fist, threatening. "Now, what have you been doing while I haven't seen you?"

Usopp began to tell her about how he left the island and how he arrived to mainland. He also told about his terrible carrier as a Bard and how he followed his father's footsteps and became a Ranger instead. He also told her about the people in his mercenary group and told her how he proved himself to them by shooting an apple 300m away without knocking it over.

"Hohoho, sounds like you have had fun since the last time I saw you" said Lady Emile giggling. "Now that you mention your father…"

"What about him?"

"I know where he is right now"

"Really!?"

"Yes, he has traveled to the Dark World"

Usopp froze up on the spot. His dad was in the Dark World. What the hell was he doing there?

"But before he left, asked he me for a favor"

Usopp looked at her with anticipation and she said "Follow me"

Usopp followed her into the basement and they entered a room that could be nothing but an armory. The walls were decorated with many different kinds of weapons and armor and there were many different stands with armor and several weapons stands around the room. They walked up to the far wall where a table was covered by a white blanket. She removed the blanket and Usopp froze on the spot.

"He asked me to give you this the next time I meet you" said Lady Emil.

"This is simply an amazing weapon" said Usopp as he looked at it in awe.

"And while you are here, please accept a gift from me. Choose any armor in here for you and your friends and I will send it to your camp in town"

After half an hour of choosing new gear for him and his companions, Usopp said farewell to Lady Emile and walked towards the city, while carrying something long on his back that was covered by the white blanket. Two big men noticed Usopp and were just about to go after him to rob him when… "Excuse me you two"

The two men turned around to see Lady Emile and one of them asked "What do you want, old hag?"

"Why I was just wondering, were you going to rob the nice young man with the long nose?"

"Yeah, so what?" asked the other.

"Now we can't have that" said Lady Emile with a sickly sweet smile and the first of the two bandits was just about to say something when he noticed his finger had swollen up to twice its original size and was oddly red. He looked on as his remaining fingers also swelled up and as his hands followed suit. His entire body slowly bloated up and when he expanded beyond his capacity…

**POP!**

He exploded like a balloon, leaving nothing but his bloodied bones in a pool of blood. The other bandit quickly fell to the ground and begged for his life but too late. He bloated up and exploded to and Lady Emile, who wasn't even hit by the blood, materialized a blue cloak out of nothing. As she put it on, began she to become younger. Her back straighten out, her legs became longer, muscles expanded a bit, her breasts became big and firm, her wrinkles disappeared, her hair grew longer and became golden brown, her hazel eyes opened, showing a mysterious golden tint, her arms grew also longer and she gained a hourglass figure. She pulled a gold circlet out of her cloak and put it on. She had completely transformed into the woman from the paintings. She turned back to her shack and left the scene like she had nothing to do with it.

Meanwhile were Luffy still eating.

* * *

Lucien sat still reading behind the rows swords. He hadn't gotten that many costumers anyway so he had gotten a lot of time to read the tome. Even though he was reading up on the first spell had he some trouble to understand how he execute this spell. It was called Force Push and was about using your mana to push something without touching it. While he pondered on how to do it stopped a boy up in front of his shop. He wore too fine clothes to be a commoner and his curly blond hair was too smooth not to be of a higher birth. Lucien looked at the boy and asked "What can I do for you?"

"These are some amazing looking swords. Are you the smith?" asked the boy excited.

"No, they are made by a friend of mine" answered Lucien as he turned a page in the tome.

Suddenly a heavily armored man with a sword by his side and a wooden buckler on his back, walked up to the boy and said "Sire, what are you doing running off like that?"

"Sir Lance. This shop just caught my eye and when I looked at these blades it simply tingles inside of me" said the boy as he almost jumped with excitement.

"Young lord please take it easy. I know of you love for blades but you can't be certain that these swords are the coin worth. They may look unique but they could easily just be scrap metal in disguise"

Lucien eyebrow twitched and put the tome down. He then slowly got up and unsheathed his bastard sword while saying "Maybe you need a demonstration?" with a glare.

Sir Lance just glared back at Lucien, but the boy said "Would you? Then Sir Lance will be your opponent"

"What! But sire…" said Lance.

"No buts, I have made my decision" said the boy and Lance sighed.

Lucien and Lance stood in the middle of the square and glared at each other. People began to gather around them at a safe distance to see what was happening. Lucien held his blade with both hands and readied to strike. Lance drew his blade with his left hand and held his buckler with his right hand. He held his sword high pointing at Lucien and held his buckler in front of him to protect from all attacks. The young boy stood by the sidelines and held a hand high.

"Begin!" he yelled as he threw the hand down and the two combatants charged each other. Lucien swung his sword with force but was blocked by the buckler. Lance tried to stab Lucien but Lucien dodged and got behind him. They both swung around, blocking each other's attack and force generated by this strike created a wave in the air that forced several spectators to fall over. They continued this clash and after a couple of seconds shattered Lance's sword. Lance, not giving up, tried to smash Lucien with the edge of his buckler, but Lucien held up a hand and mana gathered in the palm of his hand, creating a powerful push of force that it splintered the buckler and send Lance flying into a vegetable stand. Lucien sheathed his sword again and heard somebody clap. He looked to his right and saw the young boy clapping.

"Good work. Sir Lance is said to be the strongest member of the Greyrose court but you overwhelmed him easily. You showed tremendous physical strength and even some magical knowledge. I would say that you are a Knight with the way you fight" said the boy with a knowing smirk.

"A Knight you say? Maybe, maybe not" answered Lucien before he turned his head towards the market stall he that sent Lance into and saw said man stand up again. Lance was covered with different kind of vegetable juices and glared evilly at Lucien before yelling "Guards! Arrest that man!"

Several guardsmen appeared from all around Lucien and pointed swords and halberds at him. They were about to put him in iron when the young boy said "Stop"

"Who are you to order that?" asked a guard and the boy took out a silver seal of a rose.

"I am Reginald Greyrose, son of the Arl of Greyrose" answered the boy with a stern look. The guards men knelled and Sir Lance walked up to him saying "Sire! That man should be locked in a dungeon so he can't…"

"What? Hurt your pride? This man has shown self-control at a level you haven't reached yet"

"Self-control? What do you mean by that?"

"If he wanted to, would he have taken your life, but he restrained himself easily from doing so meaning he won't be a menace to the townsfolk. I actually have an offer for him" said Reginald as he approached Lucien.

"What is this offer?" asked Lucien.

"Will you become a Knight of Greyrose?" asked Reginald with sincerity.

"My Lord! I have to inject my disagreement on this matter!" said Lance.

"And I have it overruled. Now, what will you say?" asked Reginald expectantly.

Lucien looked at the boy for some time till he said "No thank you"

"What?" asked Reginald surprised.

"No thank you. I am already in a small mercenary crew and it fits me well. Plus I don't think my captain would allow it" said Lucien with a big smile on his face.

Reginald looked at Lucien with even more interest than before but gave up on the idea of hiring him and said "Very well. Could you find us two swords? One for me and one for Sir Lance"

"Sire!" shouted Sir Lance.

"Right away Sir" said Lucien with a smirk as he turned around and walked back to the swords. After some time of looking swords over he returned with two swords. He gave one to Reginald and one Lance, who reluctant took it, and Reginald paid handsomely for the swords. They walked off with an almost radiant Reginald who wouldn't shut up about the potential these swords had, much to the dismay of Sir Lance. Lucien returned to his seat behind the rows of blades and continued reading the tome, understanding it a bit more.

Meanwhile had the staff finally kicked Luffy out of the restaurant for eating everything.

* * *

Nami left the guard station by the gate with information about a pack of monsters that caused problems for travelers. It was apparently a pack of really strong monsters so she was a little scared of sending them off but she trusted them to be able to take them down. She turned down an alleyway to reach the camp faster but as she was about to reach the end stood two men in her way.

"Excuse me but could you move out of the way?" asked Nami sweetly but felt unsafe when the men just grinned sickly.

"Let me see… no!" said the first of them before he grabbed Nami over the mouth and both of them pushed her into the alley. They began to touch her everywhere as she squirmed to get free.

"This one is a good catch! Well get to have lots of fun with her!" said the second of them while he grabbed he breast. Tears formed in Nami's when the first man ripped her shirt, revealing one of her bare breast. As the second grabbed the breast and was about to suck on her nipple heard they "AHEM!"

As the second turned around to look who said that received he an iron boot to the face, sending him flying further into the alley. The first punched out after the one who kicked his partner but got a knee in his stomach and then received a kick to the chin so he flew up to his partner's side. The kicker jumped high into the air and smashed his feet into the two men's faces, stomping them into the ground.

Nami looked at her savior with appreciation. He wore a long sleeved white shirt with a silk vest over it. He had linen pants on and a pair of iron boots. He had blond hair brushed over one side of his face and a swirly eyebrow over his right eye.

He turned around and said "Are you alright Milady? When I saw you being grabbed by those goons I knew something was wro—" till he noticed that one of her breast was bare and got a nosebleed before fainting.

Nami just looked at him as she sweat-dropped and asked "Who is he?"

* * *

**Time for a Kickass Cook**

**Hi everyone.**

**First off, I apologies to any who are offended by the rape attempt on Nami, I am Truly Sorry.**

**It felt like a good idea and I had already rated this story M, so to hell with it I thought.**

**Anyway, I haven't gotten any reviews since I started this story and I would like to hear your opinions of it so, please review and share what you hate/love in the story. If you have a question, then send me a PM or if you are a guest then write it in a review and I will answer as truthfully as possible.**


	6. Thanking a Savior

The blond man woke up, his vision blurry but he could make out something orange. He blinked several times before he could see again and saw an orange haired angle.

"I'm I dead?" asked the blond man

"Ah you are awake. The guards have taken those two creeps away and I explained to them that you saved me. Now that I mention it, thank you for being my knight" said the angle with one of the most beautiful smiles that the blond man had ever seen.

The blond man looked slightly around and figured by his surroundings that he was lying on a bench, not so far from the alleyway, with his head resting in her lap. It then hit him. He was unconscious after a battle with two rapists and was now lying in the lap of a beautiful woman. Do you know what this meant? It meant that he had scored the jackpot!

The blond man quickly got up, startling the woman in the progress, made a few twirls, got on one knee and asked "What should I, your knight, call you, oh goddess of beauty"

The woman just looked at him with a sweat-drop and was about to tell him when…

"Oi, Nami!"

The woman and the blond man looked over towards the voice and saw a raven haired man with a giant grin on his face.

"Luffy!" said the woman and got up and ran up to him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked and Luffy was about to answer when suddenly the blond haired man stood in between them, glaring at Luffy.

"Ok, who are you and what is your relationship with this beauty?" asked the blond man, still going strong with the glare.

"Huh, I'm Luffy and Nami is my friend" answered Luffy, oblivious to the glare.

Nami in the meantime had gotten up to Luffy's side and said "It's true. He is my captain"

"Captain?" asked the blond man, not getting what she meant.

"What's your name?" asked Luffy.

"Sanji" answered the blond man, still glaring slightly.

Luffy looked him over for a short time and said "You're a Fighter"

"How did you figure that out?" asked Sanji slightly surprised by Luffy's guess.

"Your stance. Even now are you in a stance that allows you to utilize your legs in combat. At first I weren't sure since you have your hands in your pockets but it wouldn't make sense otherwise. What I can't figure out is why you only would be using your legs"

Sanji was astounded to say the least. Just by looking at his natural stance figured Luffy out not only that he was a hand-to-hand combat specialist but also his weapon of choice.

"By the way… what happened to your shirt Nami?" asked Luffy.

Nami had her shirt wrapped around her torso as a breast band. When Luffy mentioned it became her face completely red and nervously she said "Well…"

She told Luffy exactly what had happen to her and how Sanji had saved her.

"Really! Thank you so much for saving Nami!" shouted Luffy as he bowed deeply.

Sanji looked at Luffy perplexed before he took his hands out of his pockets and put a cigarette in his mouth. He then snapped his fingers and a small flame ignited over his thump. He used the flame to light his cigarette and then waved it out. Nami took noticed of this. Sanji then took a big puff and let the smoke leave his mouth slowly before saying "It was nothing…"

He then turned his eyes to Nami and said "…but I have to request a reward"

"What?" asked Nami, hoping it didn't involve sex.

"Let me take you out for dinner" asked Sanji as he gently took a hold of her hands.

"What!" said Nami surprised.

"Allow me to treat you dinner. It would be my pleasure as a gentleman and my honor as a chef to serve you after that horrible event you have gone through"

Nami didn't know what to say so she looked at Luffy for advice. Luffy just drooled at the thought of food and said "Yosh, go for it Nami"

Nami looked at her captain for a while before she agreed to the proposal and Sanji responded with a noodle dance and a heart shaped eye.

"Thank you, you won't regret this" said Sanji as he twirled around.

Nami was already beginning to regret it but asked "Where do we meet?"

"Where do you live? We can't have you have you walking alone after what happened" said Sanji and Nami thanked him for his concern. She told him the location of their camp and they then bid him farewell. As they walked off, could they almost swear that Sanji was skipping away. On the way towards the market island meet they Usopp, who claimed that he had made sure that the group would get new gear soon. They were a few streets away from the bridge when they saw Zoro enter a blind alley. After getting him on the right path and keeping him there crossed they the bridge and walked back to camp. They stopped up in front of the shop and Nami asked "Hi how was business?"

Lucien sat behind the rows of swords and looked up from the tome as he said "Could have been better" before he threw a pouch to Nami. She caught it and looked inside. By the look in her eyes, you could tell that it was a lot of money.

"…97…98…99…100…101…102…103 gold pieces!" squealed Nami as her eyes turned into gold coins.

"How many swords did you sell?" asked Usopp as he looked at the gold in awe.

"5" answered Lucien as he continued to read the tome.

"Yosh! From now on will you sell all our merchandise!" declared Nami.

"No deal" said Lucien from behind the tome before he felt a dark gaze upon him. Reluctant, he looked from behind the tome to see Nami. She had a sweet expression on but the feeling of death and destruction were as good as screaming from her. The others took a few steps back as Nami slowly approached Lucien and crouched down to his eyelevel and asked "What was that?"

Lucien slowly turned his head to face her and looked at her. Her eyes was closed and she had a small sweet smile on but he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was looking directly into the open jaws of a giant cat, ready to swallow him like a defenseless mouse.

"I asked, what was that?" said Nami still with the sweet smile.

"Wait, let me explain!" defended Lucien and Nami allowed him a couple of minutes. He then began to tell her that he got lucky and how he had earned most of the gold.

"So you just got your hand on a good customer?" asked Nami, trying to understand what he meant.

"Yeah, he bought two swords for 40 a piece" said Lucien hoping she understood.

Nami expression turned back to normal and she said "Damn and I hoped you just were good to bargain!"

She then walked towards her tent and entered. Lucien began to breathe properly again and looked after Nami as he asked "What was that?"

"We don't know. It is something that happens when she is agitated. We call it "The Kitty of Doom"" answered Usopp as he walked up to Lucien. He held out a hand and Lucien took it, getting a hand to get up. Usopp then went to the wagon and placed the covered up item on his back in it.

"What's that?" asked Luffy, curious about it.

"It's a secret" said Usopp and then blocked out Luffy's whining.

* * *

An hour went by before Nami got out of her tent. She wore a white blouse, a brown leather corset over it and a long red linen skirt. Lucien looked at her with admiration and said "Wow, got a date or something?"

Nami became very flustered by the word "date" and said "No! No, I have a dinner to go to"

"I see… well I hope you have a good time then"

"T-Thank you" said Nami as she blushed. She then looked at him with a stern expression and ordered "Ok, gather the others and I will tell you where you should train!"

Lucien got going and fifteen minutes later was all of them gathered. Nami then took out a map and said "Ok, there is rumors about a pack of strong monsters have made that part of this forest into their territory" as she pointed where on the map.

"These monsters have been said to hunt anything that cross their borders and several reports from hunters indicates that they are vicious beasts. Lucien, I give you the map" said Nami as she handed map to him.

"Hey! How come Lucien gets the map!?" asked Usopp.

"Well for starters. Luffy is an idiot…"

"Hey…" whined Luffy.

"…who would lose the map. Zoro's directions are not to be trusted…"

"OI!" yelled Zoro as he glared at Nami.

"…and is more likely to enter a dungeon than walk into the forest. And you Usopp…"

"Oh boy" said Usopp not looking forward to hear this.

"…is a coward who would go the wrong way deliberately" finished Nami.

"Hehehehe…he" laughed Usopp nervously.

"So, Lucien it is" said Nami as she handed the map to Lucien again. He took it and looked it over.

"To reach this place before dark, we'll have to leave soon" said Lucien as he folded the map and put it in a backpack. The rest of the guys began to pack up and a couple of minutes later were they ready to go.

Nami looked on as they took off but before they were out of sight she yelled "Be careful out there!"

Luffy looked back and smiled widely. He then yelled "Don't worry and have fun!" and waved her goodbye. Nami smiled lightly and waved them off. When they were out of sight began Nami to pack the shop up and put the weapons back into the wagon. She then feed Merry a hay bale and gave her some salt. Before she knew it an hour had went past and she sat by the campfire, watching the sun set.

"Hm, they should be about to enter the forest now" said Nami. She then looked up at the sun and smiled sadly. They have been gone for only an hour but she already missed the noises they make. She missed Zoro's light snoring, Usopp's girly screams, Luffy's growling stomach and Lucien's… now that she thought about it, what sound could associate with Lucien? He was always so quiet, only talking when needed. Then it hit her. She missed his laughter. In fact, that was what she missed the most. Not just his laughter but that of all of them. Zoro, Lucien, herself, Usopp and… Luffy… A tear was just about to form in the corner of her eye when she heard the sound clinging iron. She wiped her tears and looked back.

It was Sanji, who had arrived to pick her up. He wore a black open coat, a white shirt and a long vest made out of lizard skin with matching buttons down the middle over it. He also wore a pair of black suit pants and a pair iron boots.

"Hey" said Sanji as his cigarette fumed smoke hearts.

"Hi" said Nami as she got up. Sanji looked her over and said "You look gorgeous"

"Thanks" responded Nami with a smile. Sanji held out his arm and Nami accepted it and they walked away, arm in arm.

* * *

**Hi everyone.**

**I am sorry that this chapter isn't as long as previous but I felt that it should end here. It was original longer but it just felt wrong somehow.**

**Well… now that Sanji is introduced, I hope I will get some comments on my hard work, but as the author I have no power over you guys so, leave a review and tell your opinion. And of course, if you have a question then send me a PM and I will answer with all I got.**

**PS… I am going to take a break from this story since I have gotten a new idea that I want to try out.**


	7. Some Training

An hour had gone since the left the safe walls of the city of Greyrose and the sun had set before they finally reached their destination.

"We are finally here" said Luffy as he eagerly looked around.

They were inside of a big forest. Its trees were older than most men and they were covered in moss by their roots. The forest's floor was overgrown with lush grass and you could smell it in the air, but… that wasn't the only scent…

"_This scent…_" thought Lucien before he said "We are making camp here"

"Yosh! Then I will make the campfire!" exclaimed Luffy.

As he ran off in the search of wood could Zoro and Lucien hear somebody yell "Wait up!"

They looked back and saw Usopp come running up to them. When he stopped up began he to pant a little before saying "Ha…You... You left me behind... Ha…"

"Really? Sorry about that" apologized Lucien "We figured you could keep up"

"Keep up! I haven't seen arrows fly as fast as you guys! You left me entirely in the dust!" barked Usopp angry.

"Stop whining! You made it didn't you!?" yelled Zoro a little pissed off.

Usopp was just about to make a comeback when Zoro and Lucien just turned away from him and walked up to Luffy, who just had returned with firewood. Some minutes went by and the fire got going. They sat around the campfire and readied to fight. Luffy made sure his gloves fit him well and he made a few punches into the air. Usopp stringed up his bow to make sure he was ready for an attack, at a distance of course. Lucien sat and honed his blade before getting up and swung the sword around a little. Zoro unsheathed his sword and Lucien noticed that the crack he had made was still there.

"Shouldn't you repair that?" he asked Zoro.

"Not necessary. This blade's full potential is underneath" answered Zoro.

"Underneath…?" said Lucien, not understanding.

"You'll see… Anyway, have you noticed the smell?"

"Yeah…"

"What this about the smell?" asked Usopp, not smelling anything but the grass.

"So you noticed it to! I thought I was the only one!" said Luffy with a big grin.

"What smell!?" asked Usopp confused.

"Can't you smell it? It is like a mix of smells" explained Luffy.

"What mix?"

"Metallic yet rotten. Like the blood of hundreds of victims and…" started Zoro.

Usopp then smell the faint smell of iron and…

"…sweat from the hard work of slaying several beings. That is the smell…" continued Zoro as he and Luffy got up and joined Lucien before all three of them looked behind Usopp.

…sweat. Usopp slowly looked back, sweating heavily and scared of what he would see.

"…of a strong monster." said Zoro with a smirk.

When Usopp had turned all the way around was he stunned with fear. Behind him stood a lion, twice the height of a man. It was yellow with a blue mane and wide purple eyes. It forelegs looked like muscular human arms and its hind legs bulged with muscles. In its mane could you see long thin spikes among the blue hair and its fangs showed like a mad grin.

Usopp moved as fast as he could but the beast already bit out after him. The beast was just about to dig its fangs into Usopp when Zoro jumped in and held the beast's jaws back with his blade. The beast bit down on the blade and metal began to crack.

"Its fangs is stronger than steel, huh" stated Zoro.

Lucien looked on and yelled "Zoro! Your sword will become useless at this rate!"

"Like hell…" said Zoro simply. He pulled his blade and as taking it out of a sheath, slides it out of its metal skin and revealed a completely white blade underneath. Surprise took a hold of Lucien when he saw that blade, gleaming with power and yet gave off a gentle white light.

"Let's go… Freja!" said Zoro before he twirled around and sliced the beast across the snout. The beast recoiled and put a paw on its bleeding nose. It then glared at Zoro before releasing a massive roar, shaking all the trees.

"Trying to intimidate us?" asked Luffy with a grin. He cracked his knuckles and put a fist on the ground. Suddenly was he next to the lion with an outstretched arm.

"**Twin Ape Shot!**" called Luffy out and as he said was it like his arm duplicated to two. He sent the fists into the beast's jaw, shattering its jawbone and sending it crashing into a tree.

"Amazing…" said Lucien as he was stunned by Luffy's way of manipulating his inner energy to change his body into be rubber-like. He was almost shaking with excitement over the people who he has met after his resurrection was so special.

The beast raised itself up and glanced towards Luffy. It turned its head and its mane suddenly pointed towards Luffy. Out of the mane flew several red spikes and Luffy readied to dodge the attack but…

Lucien step in front of him and made a shield of dark mana to shield them both. The spikes glanced of the black shield and it dispersed when the assaulted ended.

"Lucien?" asked Luffy, not getting why he protected him since he just would had dodged the attack and pound his fist into the lion's face.

"I am sorry Luffy, but I want to prove myself" explained Lucien.

Luffy nodded and walked back to Usopp. Lucien raised his sword and looked at the lion. It was reading to pounce at him with its hind legs bulging up more. It leaped and swung its claws at Lucien who blocked the incoming attack. It was a struggle of might since the neither of them would budge. Usopp readied an arrow but Luffy stopped him rather forcefully.

"Luffy! Stop holding me down! I can give him an edge in this fight!" shouted Usopp.

"No! You can't!" yelled Luffy as he continued to hold him down.

"Why not!"

"Because he is proving himself" told Zoro as he walked towards the two of them.

"But I can't just leave him like—" was all Usopp got to say when Lucien flew right past them and into a tree.

"Lucien!" shouted Usopp.

Lucien was sitting by the tree's root and had shadows covering his eyes. He looked up, revealing a pair of eyes that hadn't given up.

"Lucien…"

He got up and ran right past the three of them, only focusing on the lion. The beast sent a barrage of red spikes flying and hoped it would take Lucien down, but Lucien used his sword to slash the spikes apart before they hit him. A couple of them penetrated his flesh but he did not care for the pain it caused. When he closed in, gathered he his black mana around his right fist and as the spike-barrage continued threw he his fist, hitting the lion directly on its snout. Lucien released the mana coiled around his fist and a powerful wave flew, overturning several trees behind the beast. Slowly but surely could they hear the sound of the beast's skull shattering and all of a sudden flew it into the forest, dead and defeated.

"He… He did it…" said Usopp unbelieving. "He did!"

"Good job!" congratulated Luffy.

"Thanks" said Lucien as he walked towards them. As he walked raised he his sword high and then threw it towards Zoro. Zoro moved his body slightly and dodged the incoming sword. Before Usopp and Luffy could yell anything heard they the sound of the blade lodge into something. They turned around and Usopp almost shat himself. The something was another lion's head and it fell dead but… that wasn't why Usopp was scared. He was scared because there weren't just one lion. There were almost a hundred!

"No… No way…" said Usopp, scared as hell.

"Oh, so that is why you threw the sword" said Luffy.

Lucien reached them and grabbed Luffy's and Zoro's shoulders.

"Either we die or they die" was all he said and Zoro and Luffy nodded.

"What about running away?" asked Usopp but they chose to ignore him. "OI!"

The beasts growled at them and they got ready. Luffy cracked his knuckles, Zoro raised his blade, Usopp aimed an arrow with a lit dynamite and Lucien covered both his hands with his black mana. Usopp shot and both parties charged each other, ready to give their life in battle. Roars of might, explosions and falling trees could be heard miles away that night but no soul dared to enter the forest in fear that whatever made those noises would come and reap their lives in the heat of the fight.

* * *

Meanwhile in the city of Greyrose were Sanji and Nami just walked down a street before stopping up and look left.

"The Baratie? That is an extremely popular place. And it is also expensive. Is it alright for us to eat here?" asked Nami.

"Don't worry. I am the head chef of this restaurant and leader of this division" claimed Sanji and they walked in.

Nami was amazed. The place looked almost like the interior of castle with its red rug and fine tablecloth. The ceiling was a light purple and pillars of marble was spread across the room. On the walls were beautiful paintings of lovely sceneries.

"This is beautiful!" said Nami and Sanji replied "Of course! I made the decoration myself!"

Suddenly a waiter walked up to them and said "Mr. Sanji. Good you are back. We have restocked the larder, so we can open up again"

"Ah, perfect. Go tell the others and then open up. Oh, and tell someone to lead this lady to the best table" told Sanji.

"Of course sir" said the waiter while he bowed. He then returned to the kitchen.

"What was that about?" asked Nami.

"Well, during the day used someone our offer of 'all you can eat' and ate everything"

"Oh"

"Yeah, and all I know about him is that he wears a straw hat"

"_Luffy!_" thought Nami as her eye twitched.

"Something wrong?" asked Sanji.

"No! Nothing" replied Nami quickly.

"Ok… well wait here and a waiter will come. I going into the kitchen and make sure that the food is ready" told Sanji and Nami nodded.

Sanji left and Nami waited 5 minutes before a waiter showed her to her table. It was by a big window that overlooked a rose garden. The crescent moon shined bright and its light entered through the window's glass. Nami sat down and a minute later came Sanji, carrying a plate of soup in each hand. Her served the plates and sat across from Nami. They enjoyed the soup in silence as the restaurant slowly was filled patrons. When they were done came a waiter and took their plates.

"So… what do a lovely lady like you do for a living?" asked Sanji as the waiter walked away.

"Well… I am in a mercenary company" replied Nami with a smile.

"Mercenary? So that is why you called that guy captain. He, I wouldn't had figured that out in a lifetime" said Sanji with a small grin.

"Yeah, I am not your typical idea of a mercenary, now am I?" asked Nami jokingly and both let out a laughter.

"If you were then I would probably have been a mercenary myself" said Sanji and Nami asked "Really?"

"Well… yeah"

"How come?"

"Because I love women. Why else?" asked Sanji.

"Well… because of the freedom. And the opportunity to become stronger" told Nami.

"Maybe… but it is also an uncertain life. Full of dangers and few coins to live off. Becoming a mercenary can mean to give your life to some fat merchant or lord, who won't appreciate it and just see it as 'What he paid for' or worse 'Now I won't have to pay him'"

Nami fell silent, not knowing what to say. After a little while came a waiter with plates of thinly sliced meat. He left again and Nami took a bite of the meat. As soon as the fork entered her mouth spread the savory taste throughout her mouth.

"This meat is amazing!" exclaimed she before thinking "_O my god! I sound like Luffy!_"

"He, good you like it" said Sanji with a smile.

"This is perfectly made"

"It should be since I made it" told Sanji and Nami stopped eating.

"You made this? You did say that you was head chef, but this unbelievable. When did you have the time?" asked Nami.

"Before I picked you up. It was the only thing that survived the glutton's wrath and I used all the time I had to get it ready"

"It's good"

"Good, now. Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot"

"How many are you in your company and where were the rest of them?" asked Sanji curious.

"Well… we aren't that many. First we have me, the group's Thief of course. Then we have our captain, Luffy who is also a Fighter like you. Third is Zoro, the grumpiest guy on earth and our only Warrior. Fourth is Usopp, a coward and sadly, our Ranger. And then Lucien…" said Nami before she stopped.

"What's wrong?" asked Sanji.

"It is just… Lucien is our newest member and we know not that much about him… He have shown both skill in might and magic and his mana pool almost rival my own"

"Sounds like a Knight to me" told Sanji.

"A Knight? Yeah, that fits him well actually" said Nami looking down on the table.

Sanji looked at the lady and thought "_Can one man really make a woman give such a painful look?_"

He then asked "And where would this Knight be now?"

"Oh" said Nami as she snapped out of her trance. "He and the others is training in Dim Wood"

"Dim Wood? I have heard that a pride of Mad Kings have taking over that forest, preying on anything that walks through, being it man or beast"

"WHAT!" shouted Nami, attracting the attention of everyone in the restaurant. "A Mad King is a powerful beast, said to shatter iron with it fangs! They have enough power to topple a regiment of knights in groups of three but a pride is filled with at least a hundred!"

Nami then quickly got up and sprinted for the door.

"Where are you goin!?" shouted Sanji.

"To the Dim Woods!" she yelled before she left the restaurant.

Nami ran as fast as she could and knocked down anyone in her path but when she reached the closed gate was she stopped by the guards.

"Let me through!" she yelled.

"Ma'am! We can't let you through! No one may leave the city during the night!" told the guardsman but Nami still struggled. Suddenly ripped one of the men her skirt slightly and she slipped past. She ran up to the gate and banged her hands against it while screaming "Open up! Open up this instance!"

The guardsmen quickly grabbed her and threw her out on the street. She got up on her knees and screamed her lungs out until her screams turned to sops and sops turned to tears. She cried. She cried because she might have sent her friends, her comrades, her brothers of arms onto their death. All of sudden could she feel something warm being put over her shoulders and looked up. Over her stood Sanji, putting his black coat on her.

"Are you alright, Milady?" asked he and Nami looked at him with questions in her eyes.

"When you ran, I followed. I saw the desperation in your eyes and I couldn't leave you be. I also saw your struggle with the guards and I should kick their ass for treating a lady like that but you needed comfort more than I needed to satisfy my crusade against mongrels"

The tears fell harder now and Nami hugged Sanji as tightly as she could. Sanji would normally show his happiness of a woman hugging him but chose to hold back on his feelings and hug her back to comfort her.

* * *

Hours went past and Sanji and Nami were sleeping by a wall when dawn rose. Shouting on the other side of the gate woke up Nami and she battered her eyes open.

"What do you mean you can't open the gate!?" was a familiar voice shouting.

"Sir, we first open the gate two hours after the sun has risen" answered a guardsman.

"Don't worry about it. We can wait another two hours, right?" asked another familiar voice.

"Hey… Why don't we just kick it open?" asked a third familiar voice.

"That is a stupid idea! But if it's a captain's order then…" said a fourth familiar voice.

"Wait! What are you three doing!?" shouted the second voice and…

**BANG!**

…the gate's doors bashed open! Sanji awoke and looked up. In the gateway stood four shadows. Three stood in a row like they had just kicked the gate open and the fourth stood behind them, looking scared as hell. Nami's eyes opened wide and tears formed in the corner of her eyes. The middle shadow looked at her and asked "Nami? What are you doing here?" with a grin.

They had bruises and cuts all over their bodies and their clothes were as good as ruined. Usopp were the one with fewest wounds and less ruined equipment but the signs of battle were definitely showing. Zoro looked like a living dead with all his scars but walked stronger than before. Lucien had gained a deep wound on his cheek yet still smiled. Luffy looked beat but still had the biggest smile of them all while dragging a cart full of lion hides. Nami just got up, let the coat fall to the ground and ran up to them. She took all of them in a hug and cried her eyes out. Zoro was annoyed, Usopp felt bad, Luffy smiled widely and Lucien felt happy. Sanji looked at the five of them before cracking a small smile. He then grabbed his coat and walked away, happy and a little lonely.

* * *

**Hi everyone.**

**No bios today but there will next time.**


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